Pipeline Protest: Putting the Rest of Us to Shame

Two weekends ago we went to an anti-pipeline protest in Duncan, on Vancouver Island (there were simultaneous demonstrations all over BC). The demonstration was small, much smaller than it should have been: where were the rest of the 5,000 or so residents of Duncan? Based on the newspaper reports Vancouver had the same issue – it seems to be a general problem in the western world, at least: the populace is lulled into a sense of apathy, leaving the field wide open for the guys with the ever deepening pockets. Not that I’ve done much, mind you.

The whole idea of the pipelines is outrageous, really. No matter how they spin it, in the end there’s no hiding the ugly fact that these companies would like to take oil from one of the world’s most environmentally harmful oil extraction projects (the notorious tar sands), pipe it over a thousand kms away, and then load it up on tankers to be hauled to China, and all for a buck and a half. A classic case of public resources being used for private profit at minimal monetary gain for the public, but large environmental costs (these are rarely factored in to decisions, unfortunately) as well as taking on risks of dire environmental disasters (think oil spill near Vancouver).

Since I’m listening to Ben Harper a the moment, who shares a last name with our delinquent prime minister, it seems appropriate to quote him on this very subject:

“Excuse me Mr.
but isn’t that your oil in the sea
and the pollution in the air Mr.
whose could that be

So excuse me Mr.
but I’m a Mr. too
and you’re givin’ Mr. a bad name
Mr. like you

So I’m taking the Mr.
from out in front of your name
cause it’s a Mr. like you
that puts the rest of us to shame
it’s a Mr. like you
that puts the rest of us to shame”

Need I say more?