NOTICE: Tomorrow (Fredericton): - [Jim] Emberger also announced a new coalition of community groups and labour unions that has formed in opposition of shale gas and fracking. They are set to announce a new tour, called The Voice of the People, which is planning to visit communities across the province. The new group will hold a press conference Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Delta Fredericton to announce details about the tour, which they say is set to provide public education about shale gas, clean jobs and clean energy. Re-posting from lower on the wall: - Chuck Doucet Alward says shale gas industry has strong support Cole Hobson COLE HOBSON Times & Transcript March 19, 2014 Premier David Alward believes the support for the development of the shale gas industry in New Brunswick provided by Enterprise Greater Moncton is representative of a greater sense of acceptance of the industry around the province. “I believe strongly that the vast majority of New Brunswickers support it,” Alward said when asked how he thought a theoretical referendum on shale gas would go in the province. “I travel the province on a continual basis and there has been a very significant shift in the province and New Brunswickers are getting it that if we do not have a strong economy, we’re not going to have strong communities.” Ben Champoux, the chief executive officer of EGM, said recently that the message has come forward loud and clearly that the business community of Metro Moncton wants to pursue shale gas exploration. Champoux, said that message was delivered at the 2014 Greater Moncton Economic Summit, which brought 340 business, government and community leaders together at the Delta Beauséjour Hotel in January. He said recently that feedback following the summit underscores just how much support there is the business community for seeing the industry develop, with Moncton as its headquarters. Champoux said the industry meshes well with their mandate to foster new job creation in the area. “The business community sees the development of natural resources and shale gas industry as one of the low-hanging fruits that’s really going to achieve what our new mandate is all about, which is investment attraction and sector development,” he said. “So moving forward, the role of our corporation will be to see how we can take advantage of that sector in New Brunswick.” Alward, who in the past has urged other business and community leaders to come forward in support of the industry, said he was “really pleased” by Champoux and EGM’s backing. He said it was obvious to him at the economic summit that “the business community gets it,” and understand why the industry is “such an opportunity for our province and especially for the Greater Moncton area.” “The development of shale gas, our resources and the resulting economic benefit, the jobs that it will provide in our province, the greater opportunity for the business sector to grow and for families and individuals to find good employment here, makes so much sense,” he said. “To see them come out supporting it so strongly, I’m certainly very, very pleased.” Alward said he doesn’t think EGM’s support “takes the target away” from him, but noted it does “send a very strong message that there are a lot of people that do see why this makes so much sense.” But despite the backing of EGM and other groups, the issue remains a divisive one amongst New Brunswickers and even the province’s political party leaders. New Brunswick’s Liberal party leader Brian Gallant was in attendance for parts of the economic summit and said it was a great event. However, he wasn’t willing to conclude that it presented an overwhelming sign of an support for the entire shale gas industry. He said he’s attended many sessions across the province and the issues at play with shale gas and fracking are revenue for New Brunswick, the environment, our water and our health. He said often discussions only speak about “parts of the conversation” and he believes that was the case at the summit. “They spoke a lot about what the potential revenues could be,” Gallant said. “Unfortunately I heard little to no discussion about the potential environmental risks, the potential risks to our water and the potential risks to our health.” Gallant said he’d also like to see more discussion about whether or not the government has set the province up to receive the best benefit from any potential revenues, as he believes the proposed royalty scheme is not the most beneficial for New Brunswick. He said considering all that, their party’s position is the same. He believes many New Brunswickers, and their party, believe natural gas is a viable and important energy source, but many have concerns with one specific technique – fracking. “The Liberal party has recommended a moratorium on fracking, we believe we should press pause until New Brunswickers questions can be answered and to answer them we need more credible information,” he said. Gallant noted concerns come not only from their political party, but there are also many groups and organizations that have taken issue with shale gas. One such organization is the New Brunswick Anti-Shale Gas Alliance, which represents a variety of different groups who are opposed to the industry. Jim Emberger, a spokesman for the alliance, said dozens of groups across New Brunswick are in favour of a moratorium on shale gas exploration. Emberger also announced a new coalition of community groups and labour unions that has formed in opposition of shale gas and fracking. They are set to announce a new tour, called The Voice of the People, which is planning to visit communities across the province. The new group will hold a press conference Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Delta Fredericton to announce details about the tour, which they say is set to provide public education about shale gas, clean jobs and clean energy. Despite Alward’s assertion that the majority of New Brunswickers support shale gas development, the provincial NDP Leader Dominic Cardy said he believes the province is “pretty divided” on the topic. “I have spoken to folks who are very much in favour of developing shale gas and lots of people who are very much opposed,” he said. “Definitely one of the things we need to do is start focusing on what is bringing us together as New Brunswickers and that’s a belief, a universal desire to make sure our economy is put back on track and make sure we have jobs in the province. The difference in shale gas is some people believe that it’s a sure-fire path to riches and other people believe it isn’t. “My take and the NDP’s take is it’s not going to lead us to Armageddon or the promise land. It’s a technology and our big concern is that once again we have put the cart before the horse here.” He said in all resource programs they seek to have two concerns satisfied – is it safe and can you make money? He said it seems obvious the industry could make money, but he’s not sure there is a clear answer on the safety aspect. “Our approach is we need to stop the industry right now because it doesn’t make any sense to go ahead where there’s one, a clear division and two we still don’t have our ducks in a row in terms of making sure there is proper enforcement,” he said, noting companies know how to clean up spills and similar problems, but he’s not so sure the government has the capacity to be able to properly oversee rules and enforcement efforts. Cardy said part of the problem is many people are getting caught up in “hype rather than data” and they need to get away from the “political posturing” that people on both sides have used and “get this back to the science and the facts.” Despite Champoux’s recent proclamation of support for the shale gas industry, it wasn’t the first time EGM had backed the industry. Back in January 2011 the group’s board of directors voted in favour of a motion that supported shale gas in principle, “provided that there is a framework of economic development which maximizes the benefit to New Brunswickers, protects its natural resources to the greatest benefit of all New Brunswickers and exercises due diligence to ensure that all environmental regulations and public concerns are protected.” Following the economic summit, Champoux said that motion was again brought in front of EGM’s board and was accepted again. But now, he said their committee extends past simply accepting a motion. “There’s no doubt that at some point our corporation will be proactive in meeting with players in that industry that could be interested in doing business in our community,” he said. “We see the development of our natural resources as one of those key sectors that will allow us to achieve our new mandate, which is fostering new job creation.” While the economic summit report didn’t contain any exact measure or figures to denote the level of support for the industry, Champoux said there was a very positive crowd reaction every time the issue was brought up. He said their support is also based on the feedback they received from the assessment of the summit, which he said made it clear shale gas development was a highlight. Champoux said Paul Martin, a partner in the public relations firm Martin Charlton Communications and former board chairman of the Regina Regional Economic Development Authority, was rated as one of the most popular keynote speakers by those in attendance. “Paul’s message was clear. Saskatchewan transformed itself by two things – changing its culture and attitude and then focusing on food, fertilizer and fuel, and so natural resources and shale gas,” Champoux said. “That’s the speaker that 340 participants liked the most, that sent a clear message to us at Enterprise Greater Moncton and to our board.” Like · · Share · about an hour ago near Moncton Don McDonald likes this. Don McDonald BS 25 minutes ago · Like Susan Linkletter Perhaps Moncton would like to back that up by lifting their ban on shale gas exploration within City limits and in the Turtle Creek watershed.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 21:48:36 +0000
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