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Influential council calls for ‘dramatic gesture’ to counter bad oil sands P.R.
News Articles | The Calgary Herald | Renata D'Aliesio | July 16, 2010
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Alberta’s brand and its oilsands reputation are being tarnished amid growing public sensitivity toward environmental issues, says a council of prominent former politicians, business leaders and academics assembled by the premier.
In a recently released report designed to spur debate on Alberta’s future, the premier’s council for economic strategy suggests the public needs to see measurable improvements in how energy is developed, not just good intentions. It’s a stark assessment that comes as Alberta faces a stinging anti-bitumen ad campaign urging American tourists to boycott the province.
“Alberta’s reputation with key energy customers has been damaged in recent years, and relationships with communities near oilsands developments (especially First Nations communities) are strained,” states a report from the council, which is chaired by former MP David Emerson.
“It may take a dramatic gesture to convince a skeptical public to applaud Alberta as a responsible natural resource steward.”
The council is seeking input on what that gesture might be, said petroleum pioneer Jim Gray, a member of the group.
“We’re talking to experts all over the world with respect to steps we can take,” Gray explained Thursday.
“We do recognize, like everybody does, that we have a reputational issue here that we have to deal with, that we have to be out in front.”
Provincial opposition parties contend the Stelmach government hasn’t done enough to protect Alberta’s oilsands reputation, although they differ on what action is needed.
The Liberals and NDP argue lax environmental standards have harmed Alberta’s international brand, while the Wildrose Alliance is calling on all provincial parties to work together to draft a joint strategy to combat oilsands attacks.
“This is going to continue on unless we develop a coordinated effort to make sure that all political parties in this province are united in defending what’s going on,” Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith said.
But Wildrose’s plea for an all-party emergency oilsands meeting was rebuffed by Premier Ed Stelmach, as well as the Liberals and NDP.
Grit Leader David Swann and NDP MLA Rachel Notley said oilsands communication isn’t the problem. Instead, they pointed to the government’s management of issues such as greenhouse gas emissions and toxic oilsands tailing ponds.
“This government is seen as a spin doctor,” Swann said. “The reality is our government has not set the (environmental) standards . . . that we can be proud of and that the international community can respect.”
Notley added: “The answer is less smoke and mirrors, more real action.”
The Conservative government, however, contends it has taken action to protect the environment as oilsands development ramped up in the past decade.
In a television interview Thursday, Stelmach noted Alberta is the only jurisdiction in Canada or the United States to put a levy on industrial greenhouse gas emissions. He also stressed tailings ponds are monitored, saying there’s no evidence waste water has seeped into the Athabasca River.
The Stelmach government plans to continue meeting with American politicians and U.S. environmental groups to talk about the oilsands and the thousands of U.S. jobs tied to its development.
The oilsands and energy activity will also be on the agenda when roughly 500 politicians, policy experts and business leaders from Canada and the United States gather in Calgary from today to Tuesday for the Pacific Northwest Economic Region’s annual conference.
“It’s Alberta oilsands, but it’s a resource that’s shared by all Canadians,” Stelmach said. The anti-bitumen campaign “is an affront on Canada as a whole.”
Total E&P Canada president Jean-Michel Gires acknowledged that organizations attacking the oilsands are dangerous to the energy sector, noting their message has caught the ear of decision-makers in Washington, London and other parts of the world.
“They ask, ‘Is it a big problem? Are you concerned? Why don’t you pay more attention to the environment? Are you going to stop the development of the oilsands?’ “ he said.
“You definitely need to listen, understand and explain much better your case, tell much better your story, and understand that your story can be improved.”
Tagged with: alberta, stelmach, oilsands, reputation
