My compliments to Ken Allred for a very insightful and lucid commentary on the recent “students’ green protest” (St. Albert Gazette, March 30).
I would encourage our youth to take up his challenge.
Focus on how best to lead the future and less on “jumping on the bad press bandwagon” with no concrete data to back up the doomsday panic over our shifting climate. As on the internet, trust nothing until you’ve done your background research. We still exist in an oil-based economy and are world leaders in proper management of that resource.
Try questioning why Canada – still importing oil from less “savoury” foreign suppliers – is environmentally responsible or just after the lowest cost supply.
Question why a sudden panic over West Coast port contamination arose when Trans Mountain announced a desire to increase capacity of a pipeline with a sterling environmental and safety record.
Ask why American interests are backing our Indigenous peoples’ protest yet no mention is made of American efforts to increase Alaskan arctic oil production adjacent arctic wildlife reserves – very sensitive and critical environments.
Keep asking the questions. Challenge the popular press babble. You’ll be surprised what you may uncover.
Ivan Hall, St. Albert
