Once more our country must be on alert! Harper has granted Shell permission to drill for oil off the coast of Nova Scotia.
The drilling would happen in the Shelburne Basin - near major fishing grounds and the Sable Island National Park Reserve, with the world’s largest breeding colony of grey seals.
The risk is high - Shell has up to 21 days to cap a blowout. Emergency equipment is located over 5000 km away, in Norway and South Africa, a cost-saving measure for Shell.
The Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board (CNSOPB) now must decide whether to approve Shell’s application. But the Conservative government has appointed long-time Shell executive, Douglas Gregory, to the CNSOPB. Mr. Gregory worked for Shell for 30 years, opening the company’s offshore division in Nova Scotia, then was a lobbyist at Canada’s oil lobby association (CAPP) before retiring in 2003. I wonder what CNSOPB will plan to decide.
Corporate cronyism is a disgusting way to conduct proper stewardship of Canada’s land, seas, and resources. The CNSOPB must reject Shell’s application. To allow exploitation of yet another Canadian energy source will affect the Shelbourne Basin’s major fishing grounds and Sable Island National Park Reserve.
We must resist this abuse of power by the rich at the expense of future generations. I urge readers to appeal to their Members of Parliament to stop this project by compelling CNSOPB to do the right thing and not permit Shell to develop yet another troublesome problem for one of our fellow Canadian provinces!
For more information, visit http://action.sumofus.org/a/shell-21-day-blowout/.
Nolan Gingrich
Nelson