What kind of government favours selling out the long-term sustainability of its own country’s natural resources, the long-term health of its environment, the health and employment opportunities of its people over providing in-house jobs through refinement and manufacturing?
For what reason, you say? All for a short-term economic gain? What about the long term costs to exporting jobs, environmental clean up after the fact?
What kind of a government ignores the expressions of concern and requests for public and parliamentary consultation by tens of thousands of Canadians in regards to the Nexen Oil sell-out to state owned Chinese Oil corporation CNOOC? What kind of government also refuses public consultation and/or parliamentary debate on the final ratification of a foreign trade protection treaty or FIPA with China? This pending treaty will lock Canada into a contract for an unprecedented 31 years with China, providing unprecedented access to Canadian raw resources and unprecedented power to secretively sue Canadians at any level of government or organization for blockage of access to these resources or the ecosystem holding them. What kind of a government systematically prepares for such invasive foreign investment by first watering down environmental and endangered species protection laws, slashing environmental protection policy, scientific monitoring capabilities and departments like the Pacific Coast Guard?
Did you know that just recently our government lifted the protection on all but 62 rivers across this broad and beautiful country? What kind of a government refuses to learn from the pitfalls of the NAFTA treaty with the U.S.; a treaty already costing Canadian taxpayers yearly in legal fees and payouts for Canadian governments refusing access to natural resources and sensitive ecosystems that are suddenly threatened by foreign exploitation? The pending China-Canada treaty makes Canadians, their resources, their environment and jobs far more vulnerable then the NAFTA agreement has, yet already we are hurting because of NAFTA.
The answer to all the above questions would be the Harper-led, Conservative government, a government looking and feeling more and more like a dictatorship as each day passes with their refusal to engage parliamentary debate and the behind-the-scenes, purposeful policy changes and de-regulation around environmental protection and monitoring. This government is dragging tens of thousands of Canadians against their will, in the opposite direction to most civilized, environmentally conscientious countries. Is that what you want as a Canadian?
What can the average Canadian do to take back their power to self determine; to provide for the safe and healthy future of their children and grandchildren? We can write Prime Minister Steven Harper and our local Conservative member of Parliament to let them know that we don’t feel they are acting in the best interest of our country or our people and that they won’t have our vote in the next election. Copy your letters to all federal party leaders so that they know what your stance is. Copy your letter to our provincial leader, Premier Christy Clark and MLA George Abbott and to all provincial party leaders so that they too, can be held accountable for what is their responsibility to us provincially. Make it an election issue in B.C. as well. Support organizations like the Council of Canadians, David Suzuki Foundation and Leadnow.ca as they campaign for the rights of Canadians, the protection of the our resources, our ecosystems and home grown jobs. Support a government that puts our environment first and recognizes that our sustainable future, economic and otherwise, lies in the development of green-energy systems and industrial initiatives.
Most of all, we need to pay attention to what our governments are doing. The Canada-China FIPA could be ratified before Christmas or anytime after, when it is long gone from your mind and if it is ratified, the recent sell out of Nexen to CNOOC of China will take on a whole new life!
Think about it and don’t be fooled by the fact that so many critical government manouevers are happening at a time when most people have their heads in a haze of Christmas activity and plans.
There is nothing up front or honest about this federal Conservative government and it is time for Canadians to take back the destiny of this country. Do it for your children and their children, please. As a grandmother, I fear for the future of my grandchildren and so should you.
Pam Beech