The following is an open letter to TransCanada Pipelines president and chief executive officer Russ Girling.
Dear Mr. Girling,
Your company has proposed the repurposing of an old natural gas pipeline to carry Tar Sands bitumen from Alberta to the east coast of Canada for export. You call this project Energy East.
Across Canada there is a wave of citizen opposition to this proposal, since inevitable leaks threaten communities, the resulting increased greenhouse gasses threaten the stability of our climate, and removing a gas pipeline from service will raise the cost of natural gas.
On March 2nd, 2015, a Thunder Bay citizens’ coalition asked Thunder Bay City Council to pass a resolution expressing Thunder Bay’s opposition to this ill-conceived plan. We have learned that City Council prefers to wait to vote on the resolution after they have heard a deputation from you.
It has now been nine weeks since we made our deputation to Council. We ask you: Come to Thunder Bay now.
You represent a multi-billion dollar corporation that is currently under investigation by the National Energy Board for safety violations; we represent over 800 citizens who have asked our City Council to act. Your goal is to transport a million barrels of Tar Sands oil overseas every day; ours is to protect our city, waterways, and future generations. We value our clean water and land. What are your values?
Come to Thunder Bay. Give Councilors and citizens a chance to weigh your words.
Sincerely,
Council of Canadians, Citizens United for a Sustainable Planet, Ontario Nature, Fossil-Free Lakehead, Environment North
