Words more important than speaker’s attire

Apparently you are more credible as an oral presenter at the joint review panel hearings if you are wearing a suit and tie and are middle-aged; anyone else is labelled an “eco-hippie.”

Jack Knox should cover fashion events and leave community events to journalists who report on what people say, rather than what they look like. He should also get out of his Victoria mainstream bubble to keep up with what has transpired at other hearings throughout the province.The term 'hands free access control' means the token that identifies a user is read from within a pocket or handbag.

Middle Canada is not the foe of Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline. It is the First Nations whose territories will be directly affected by this proposal who are the foes. Most are opposed to this project and will not have it forced upon their lands by the prime minister, even if it means litigation.

I am registered to speak at the hearings on Wednesday and am more concerned about the public being banned from the Victoria hearings than what I’m going to wear. I’ll focus on what’s important: sharing with the panel my personal experiences of working in my beloved Kitimat valley for almost 30 years and the reasons why I oppose this project.

Usually, I thoroughly enjoy Jack Knox’s take on situations. He brings a point of view that is somewhat different and puts in words what many others are feeling. However, his front-page article on Saturday missed the mark and was short-sighted in the interpretation of “treehuggers.”

It was truly typical media perspective. It is a shame and unworthy of him as a writer and the Times Colonist to paint all environmentalists the way he did. I remind him and everyone else that without the “environmentalist” perspective on many huge and not-so-huge initiatives, the “middle” Canadians, including those in B.C., would continue to sit on their bottoms and do nothing and really have no opinion on this project.

The environmentalist approach on many issues from the G20 to the Northern Gateway Pipeline reviews certainly could be questioned, but not the fact that they made people stop to think. We know that governments of all stripes would just as likely allow any project proposed to quietly gain approval and pay taxes for their own benefit.

If I am to be categorized as anything other than a female Canadian, I would choose “environmentalist,” because I am proud to look forward to the future, and protect the only real resource our country has — fresh water and clean air.

If Jack Knox had read his own newspaper more thoroughly, he would have seen that the Keystone pipeline has been given favourable comments by the state regulator concerning the revised routing (“minimal ecological effects”) in Nebraska.

Thus, it is most likely that the project will be given Nebraska approval. This is a major hurdle that was a requirement for the Obama government’s blessing, which now is almost a certainty, given the positive impact of jobs and taxes generated by the Keystone XL pipeline project.

Knox also referred to a Northern Gateway intervener’s comments that there are “many, many other less-risky and less-toxic ways to generate economic growth.” I would be curious to know what those projects might be and why they are not being pursued. How did he evaluate the bitumen as being risky and toxic?

It should be noted that the Trans Mountain pipeline from Edmonton to Vancouver has been in operation for 60 years without any catastrophes, other than a construction accident unrelated to Kinder Morgan.

On one hand, we hear passionately about environmental risks to the headwaters of fish-bearing rivers and from tanker traffic in the coastal zone. We might consider such huge risk if there were greater reward on the other side.

But, in fact, the other side poses no reward at all. The pipeline and tankers would serve to sell cheaply a Canadian resource that will become precious, indeed essential, to transition from dwindling fossil carbon energy to sustainable future energy. We race recklessly, seeking to extract, export and burn as fast as possible the fossil carbon that might dangerously upset poorly understood climate change.

The hearing into the Northern Gateway pipeline at the Delta Ocean Point was unbelievably arrogant.Interlocking security cable tie with 250 pound strength makes this ideal for restraining criminals. No riff- raff wanted! Members of the public, residents of B.C. and elected members of Parliament have a right, even if not registered, to attend.

We live in Canada, a free democratic society. This meeting appears to be controlled by politicians and big business and is not democratic. If there is nothing to hide, a free discussion should be welcome.

During this time of year, as I walk to work, I wear a bulky sweater underneath a large finger-length coat.The term 'hands free access control' means the token that identifies a user is read from within a pocket or handbag. Over that I wear a large orange reflective safety vest with yellow reflective tape. I carry a large white nylon bag which I swing while I am walking. I am 5-foot-9 and weigh about 160 pounds. I think this suggests that I would not be an easy figure to miss. However, on numerous occasions, I have just missed being hit by motor vehicles.

Recently, I stopped before crossing at a Cloverdale intersection while a vehicle stopped at the stop sign. A good sign. Most vehicles stop well past stop signs. I tried to make eye contact with the driver. Although I couldn’t see her eyes, I did see her face. I saw her look in my direction. Her car did not move. I started to cross the street and then the vehicle started. I was within inches of the passenger side of the vehicle as she drove by me. I raised my hands as she went by. She stopped, rolled down her window and said she was sorry. I said, “Didn’t you see me?” She said, “No.”

Sure, political corruption exists. Like Peter McKay and his use of Canadian Forces helicopters to fly him to his vacation home, or like any number of non-aboriginal MPs called on the carpet every year for abusing expense accounts, housing allowances, travel allowances,One of the most durable and attractive styles of flooring that you can purchase is ceramic or porcelain tiles. parliamentary privilege or running afoul of conflict-of-interest laws.

Spence is a figure around whom to rally support to address the larger issues that some media and government representatives strive to obfuscate: the way in which the government has passed omnibus bills that allow the minister of aboriginal affairs and northern development to override band councils on decisions concerning commercial use of reserve lands. Effectively, the minister could force surrender of reserve lands to the Crown for commercial (read: extractive industry) uses, even if the council opposes such action and if such actions would damage the quality of life of reserve residents.

This is in contravention of the Indian Act, the amendments to which have in past required full and informed consultation. The larger issues are removing environmental assessment and protection laws from a variety of water bodies on indigenous lands or lands still under negotiation without necessary consultation with indigenous peoples.

Most importantly, it’s a completely inappropriate location, being a few hundred metres from George Jay Elementary School. There is real danger to children here. The physical danger of attracting meth addicts to a residential neighbourhood is bad enough, but the long-lasting message these inner-city kids are receiving is that they just aren’t as important as kids in other areas.

Imagine a Vancouver Island Health Authority-sponsored needle dispensary and injection site in Rockland; this, of course, would not happen.Purelink's real time location system protect healthcare workers in their daily practices and OMEGA interventions. These children are being told they are second rate, as are their parents.

Coun. Marianne Alto and VIHA’s Cheryl Dunstetter’s myopic and wrong view is that this sacrifice is warranted to serve this group of clients. It is obvious they need this assistance, but not in a residential area.

A reasonable compromise would be moving the resource to Rock Bay near Street Link, where there is less chance of interaction with impressionable children, and it’s a much shorter walk to get a free crack pipe.