Dozens of protestors gathered outside South Shore-St.Margaret’s MP Bernadette Jordan’s office today.
The crowd met in Bridgewater at noon to voice their displeasure with the Trudeau government’s decision to buy the Trans-Mountain pipeline from Kinder Morgan last week.
The demonstration was one of around eighty protests scheduled to take place at MP’s offices across the country.
Marilyn Keddy with the Council of Canadians says there are many other places government can spend $4.5 billion dollars.
“That’s outrageous. When we need better hospitals, we need schools. That’s how our tax money needs to be spent, not supporting Texas billionaires.”
Keddy sees very little focus on clean energy coming from the Canadian government.
She says politicians show up on doorsteps when they want your vote, but once in power they’re nowhere to be seen.
Protest against #KinderMorgan #transmountain pipeline outside @BernJordanMP office in Bridgewater pic.twitter.com/r4KdDFElqS
— Ed Halverson (@edwardhalverson) June 4, 2018
Steven Schewchuk of Rose Bay feels betrayed.
“We’re going to have to pay billions of dollars for a project that the liberal government promised not to get involved in. So again, they’re breaking all of their promises.”
Schewchuk feels pipelines are antiquated and government could find better green projects to invest in.
He’s concerned government is saddling future generations with a huge debt.
Protestors presenting petition against #KinderMorgan #TransMountain pipeline purchase to @BernJordanMP pic.twitter.com/baOED82afz
— Ed Halverson (@edwardhalverson) June 4, 2018
Meanwhile, South Shore-St.Margaret’s MP Bernadette Jordan says resource development and environmental concerns can co-exist.
Like most MPs, Jordan was in Ottawa today as parliament is making it’s final push before representatives break for the summer.
Jordan says while government feels this project is in the national interest, she wants to hear her constituent’s concerns.
“The people that were there, that they came in the office, that they were respectful, I really do appreciate that. We hear what they are saying. That’s my job, is to listen, to bring concerns forward.”
Jordan says resource development and environmental concerns can co-exist.
“There’s got to be a balance. I don’t agree with the ‘move forward at all cost’ but I also don’t agree with the ‘we don’t want any development’ either. I think we have to find that balance, and I think that’s what we’ve done.”
Jordan says the project met rigorous conditions and government intends to sell the pipeline back to a private company once it’s built.
Reported by Ed Halverson
Twitter: @edwardhalverson
E-mail: halverson.ed@radioabl.ca
