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A public forum on the impacts of proposed Keystone Pipeline called, Down the Pipe, was held in Calgary Thursday November 2. Hosted jointly by CEP and the Parkland Institute the public forum in Calgary examined some of the evidence CEP has presented to the National Energy Board (NEB) as an intervenor.
The National Energy Board is currently considering the Keystone project—an application by TransCanada and Keystone Pipelines to convert a portion of existing pipeline from gas to bitumen. The proposal contemplates pumping up to 500,000 barrels of raw product a day, to the United States.
There is a growing consensus in Alberta, even among Conservative leadership candidates, that exporting raw oil sands bitumen to the United States for refining has serious implications for jobs in Alberta and Canada. It is estimated that loss of employment could reach as high as 18,000 jobs from the Keystone project alone. There are several other projects in the planning stages which will multiply this effect. If these projects get the green light there is no doubt there will be a negative effect on the province’s ability to diversify our economy and add value to our natural resources.
Participants in the forum heard from President Dave Coles and Western Region Vice President Don MacNeil as well as from M.C. McCracken who is the CEO of Informetrica Limited, and author of a report modeling the impacts of the proposed Keystone Pipeline, Steven Shrybman an International Trade Lawyer, acting on behalf of CEP at the NEB hearings and from Parkland’s Diana Gibson.
Participants urged Alberta Conservative Party leadership candidates to stand up for the public good and asked the Government to insist that all of the product produced in Alberta, be refined in Canada before being shipped south. Only then will Albertans and Canadians begin to get a fair return on our natural resources.
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