How many times have we read a headline that says the oil and gas industry must ‘engage’, ‘evolve’, ‘discuss’, ‘harness’, ‘focus on’, ‘improve its communication’…
It’s enough to make you sick. The oil and gas industry uses more platitudes to try to sway people to its side than any other industry on Earth. Which, at this point, is completely unnecessary.
Here’s a word of advice: stop using platitudes to try to advance your cause – it only delays things further. And delays are losses for the oil and gas business – especially given its current state.
At this point, everybody has picked their sides. Either people support the industry and its goals or they don’t. And according to virtually every poll, Canadians do support the industry.
It’s time to move past ‘having a discussion’ or trying to ‘communicate the industry’s message’. We need to be firm and clear, and we need to call out those who hurt the industry and its workers. And it starts with actions like these:
President Obama vetoed the Keystone XL pipeline. Therefore, his radical ideology trumped helping unemployed Americans and he made a selfish move that will scar his presidency. This point should have been communicated by the oil industry (especially in advance of his decision). We do, however, commend TransCanada for suing the United States for vetoing the pipeline.
Similarly, Premier Notley came out against Keystone XL, therefore, she does not care about out-of-work pipeline constructors or struggling oil companies. Again, the industry should have been loud and clear about this.
Quebec leaders oppose Energy East, so they should immediately stop receiving transfer payments. Albertans and Premier Notley should immediately press for legal action to stop transfer payments to Quebec. What else can we do? We already educated Canada, so we need to move past that point.
Vancouver or Ontario want to ban natural gas from Alberta? Publicly ask them how they would like to try that for a day–like how Premier Brad Wall asked Quebec leaders if they wanted to stop receiving transfer payments.
Why is it okay for Alberta to transport BC Natural gas but not to move Alberta oil through BC? Terry Etam wrote a great piece about leveraging Alberta’s location (as the entryway for BC natural gas) to get oil or gas pipelines built to the BC coast.
It was encouraging to see Premier Notley announce Alberta will not support Ottawa’s carbon tax measures unless a pipeline was approved, however the gesture was meaningless – and somewhat insulting to the citizens of Alberta whom she already hit with an aggressive carbon tax. Carbon taxation will not reduce one iota of CO2 emissions in Canada, however it will further hurt the oil industry. Therefore the Notley and Trudeau governments are hurting struggling Canadian oil workers and so long as they enact these damaging policies it should be made clear that oil industry workers will not cast another vote for them.
Lastly, why is it okay for politicians (especially Alberta politicians) to openly root against Donald Trump for President of the United States? He will actually approve Keystone and other pipelines where Hillary Clinton will not. This is not as important as the above issues, but it does speak to an overall sentiment fostered against our primary and beaten-down industry.
Unfortunately in typical Canadian fashion, we lend victory after victory to anti-industry zealots by delving into the realms of ‘meaningful discussion’ with them. The discussions have happened and most people are on the oil and gas industry’s side. It’s time for action.