Dear editor,
Re: Terry MacCormak’s Dec. 8 letter, Bitumen should be left in the ground.
Hey, great idea, leave bitumen in the ground and import the oil requirements from the Middle East, support their economy and ISIS, not the rest of Canada. Yes, the provinces like the oilsands; it employs their unemployed. Talk to Newfoundland and see where they would be without it. Maybe not so much anymore, but it certainly was a big boost when the cod fishing industry died.
Talk to Quebec and where they would be without the transfer payments from Alberta. Even B.C. was a recipient of this, but that’s OK, keep our heads in the sand, don’t develop our own natural resources and let Alberta continue to support us.
I find it hard to believe that Quebec can refuse to let a pipeline to the east coast pass through after all the billions, yes, billions they have received over the years from Alberta. It’s the reason they can have cheap daycare.
I worked for many years in the service industry to the oilpatch, imported several employees from Newfoundland, and proud to have done so. My brother-in-law worked to build Syncrude, then worked for Syncrude to keep it running, spent close to 30 years living in Fort McMurray, raised his family there and was proud to do so.
Yes, there are drug issues - same with any boom area - but nothing worse than Downtown East Side Vancouver, or the Tent City of Victoria. I think most families would rather have support from a household member working away, rather than relying on welfare to support their family.
Paul Ellegood
Courtenay