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LETTER: Political theatre staged around big oil

Re: Oil spill recovery rate shocking (Letters, July 13)

Thanks to Lynda Slater for bringing to our attention the oil industry’s tragically inadequate capacity to deal with oil spills.

Imagine the beaches from Sooke to Port Renfrew covered in heavy bitumen. There is simply no technology available to save our coast, much less affected wildlife.

The political theatre of washing birds and using booms, slick lickers and dispersants are meant to deceive the public into thinking the oil companies and politicians are on top of the cleanup. They aren’t. The birds die, the oil remains.

The oil companies have neither the will or the technology nor the necessary money to deal with even a small spill. Goodbye economy, goodbye jobs, for generations.

People suspect our political leaders are selling us out to corporate profit.

Canada is more than the resource colony our politicians envision. We can be a green global destination preserving the immense beauty we’ve been given.

Before any thinking individual embraces the petro chemical industry and its puppet politicians, they should ask some tough questions. Isn’t a green economy based on tourism and renewable resources more sustainable? Won’t our grandchildren need that oil for the benefit of Canada and Canadians?

Let’s refine it here, but then it’s really not our oil is it?

The enjoyment  of our next walk on French Beach, Sandcut Beach and Jordan River Botanical Beach depends on how well residents are informed and who we elect.

Ted Roberts

Saseenos