By Tatiana Kostiak
Published: July 12, 2014
Woodfibre LNG. Are you dizzy yet from all the spin? How about we slow down that vortex, take a breath and examine some of it before the next round comes along.
I am not in favour of this proposal but I’m choosing not to go into all of the reasons here. I could site studies, news coverage and even materials provided by the proponent but I won’t. I’m not doing that because I feel it is each individual’s obligation to do their own research, and let’s face it, those who feel as I do will be inclined to agree. Those opposed will question every single source I cite but are unlikely to take a look as it will not suit their purposes. It’s human nature.
It’s also human nature to tell a story in such a way as to earn agreement from the audience to whom it is delivered. (Heck, I’m doing that right now with this piece.) What we are in effect doing is spinning our own stories. If you look deep enough you can learn a lot about the storyteller and, often, this information is a lot more informative than the story itself.
Woodfibre has been telling several stories of late but the ones I want you to consider more deeply have to do with their claim that they are making operational decisions based on feedback they have received from the community.
Sounds like a nice, new potential neighbour doesn’t’ it? Recent decisions to build the plant on land and to use hydro to power the plant all appear very agreeable and considerate on the face of it, don’t they? Hydro means less emissions, land based means the marine life of Howe Sound might fare better.
Let’s look deeper. It begs the question: What is the ethical foundation they are working from in the first place? It’s quite reasonable to conclude that the proponent would have been prepared to build a floating facility resulting in greater damage to marine habitat and run their compressors on NG thus creating higher air pollution levels.
What is even more telling is their attempt to spin these announcements into good news stories to suggest they are listening and good corporate citizens. I am left with one final question. What are they hoping we don’t notice so they can go ahead and make the cheap and dirty choice?
I admit when I attended Wednesday evening’s open house I expected a bit more finesse from the proponent. I will further admit that I was even a little surprised when at the close of the night there was no announcement of thanks, no appreciation for attending. Nope. How did they end the evening with a room still full of people? Lights off. They left us in the dark. By all accounts that is exactly where I suspect they would prefer we stay.
TJay says
Beware the Neo-pagan spin…….
Jean says
Please those with the unproductive one liners … go to work and make some more money ,you need it, because if we have LNG we also will have almost Quadruplet inflation on our Home Gas . Make the calculation LNG exported ~13$-15$ initially , present Home Gas about $ 4 GJ
Jean says
Tatiana Thanks ,Great read
Just make sure to sell your house the moment if they put the shovel in the ground… Remember Thumbler Ridge ?
Adam says
Indeed. Those who have been flooding Squamish and driving real estate prices higher are here because Squamish is the Outdoor Recreation Capital of Squamish not because we’re hoping to step back in time and reclaim our once illustrious industry driven past. They’re wealthy, mobile, social and health conscious and unlikely to stick around if there is any risk to their health or safety. I know we’re already talking about where we would move to should the project proceed – and that sucks because we see Squamish for so much more than this project.
Industry is fine, I just don’t support welcoming a company into town that has a horrific environmental record, recently cited as being the worst polluter in the Pulp & Paper sector in Indonesia and contributing to the alarming destruction of the rainforest ( http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/Blogs/makingwaves/april-forest-destruction-sustainability/blog/48658/ ). Further they’ve been CONVICTED of tax fraud/evasion and required to pay fines and back taxes of $269M USD ( http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/02/01/asian-agri-agrees-pay-rp-25-trillion-fine-installments.html ) for their attempt to dodge tax. Oh, yes, what a grand neighbour to have in our community! Really Mr. Sturdy – this is who you’d sell us out to? I’m sure they’ll be wonderful stewards of the environment and our town. Wake up Squamish! Get angry and stop this nightmare from ruining OUR town.
Observer says
Enough with the debating on this.
Push for a YES/NO referendum on this in the next election in September. We have nothing to lose; it will not cost us. Even though it will not be binding, it will tell those that need to know what Squamish feels…one way or the other. And you can abstain but not taking part in it…Easy!!!!
Lobby all your Council members at: council@squamish.ca
Wolfgang W says
An excellent suggestion about the referendum, and at least one councillor articulated the same feelings. It should not stop the debate though, quite the contrary!
G_h says
I have read this article twice and still can’t find any substance in it, except for a highly subjective accusation of “spin”. It is just as easy to make the same criticism of the town’s anti-LNG campaigners.
Curious George says
By the way, what exactly is “A Neo-Pagan Spin”….Could it be a repeated very fast run around Stonehenge by modern day tourists??
fred says
If LNG plant gets the go ahead……
My family and I will be selling our house and taking my business and moving.
I have been in Squamish for over 10 years,
I see no good to come with a LNG plant here…
……good by Squamish….