30 Fairmont Park Lane S
Lethbridge, AB T1K 7H7
Phone: (403) 328-1704
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
The Editor
The Lethbridge Herald
P.O. Box 670
Lethbridge, AB, T1J 3Z7
Re: “Tutu should worry about problems in his own country
Dear Editor,
My first instinct with respect to Archbishop Tutu’s visit to Fort McMurray was
similar to that of George Van Bostelen who suggested, in a letter dated June 14,
that Tutu should worry more about issues in South Africa.
I thought there was one gem in Tutu’s messages. He was reported to have said “It
is far better – it is cheaper – for people to be friends than enemies”. I
thought that wisdom to keep in mind as we wished him a safe flight home.
On reflection I’ve come to see his participation in our business in a different
light. We were subjected to previous oilsands related visits and events
featuring James Cameron, Neil Young, David Suzuki and others. They loudly
proclaimed development of the oil sand energy as detrimental to humanity and the
planet. All spawned fawning commentary from the media.
There is a common chord. Chief Allan Adams of the Athabasca Chipewyan First
Nation (ACFN) was involved in all of these events. He sat on the podium with
these interlopers at various media events, while his colleagues huffed and
puffed about the evils of the oil sands. Chief Adams also provided evidence to
the parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources on March 27, 2014. He
clearly presented his positions on first nation’s involvement in the oil sands
industry and generally supported development of the resource. Chief Adam’s First
Nation ACDEN group of companies is said to be earning some $270-million in
annual revenues from industrial contracts with oil sands producers.
I’m coming to the conclusion Chief Adams is using the naysayers to good effect.
He comes across as the voice of reason with initiatives to make the best of oil
sands development. With the seven generation forward looking perspective said to
be a tradition of First Nation’s people, perhaps he can see through the fog of
misinformation and envision a land transformed to a new purpose once the oil is
gone.
Yours truly,
Duane Pendergast