A newly-launched public awareness campaign aimed at highlighting the importance of the energy industry – including oil and gas development – to Canadian communities of all sizes is welcome news for this region.
The Support Canadian Energy campaign is being spearheaded by the Rural Municipalities of Alberta and its partners in other provinces.
Launched during the recent Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference, the campaign will try to promote dialogue and cooperation among all stakeholders, including between industry, municipal leaders and the public at large, say officials.
“The campaign is a respectful and positive effort to enhance pan-Canadian municipal collaboration to support responsible resource development,” campaign organizers said. “The energy industry is key to the future of Canadian municipalities.”
Challenges facing the oil and gas industry, including disagreements between some companies and the environmentalist movement, have in some cases created divisive and confrontational situations.
Those situations, in turn, have stifled economic growth and reduced the amount of support oil and gas companies can give to community groups and organizations.
“We need to understand our differences so we can come together to support a responsible energy industry,” officials said. “The Canadian municipal voice is more powerful when we come together. Through education and respectful discussions, we believe municipal leaders will come to understand how our Canadian energy industry provides economic growth.”
The campaign will continue its activities over time, “taking advantage of opportunities to bring together Canada’s municipal, provincial and federal leaders to further their understanding of the positive role of our nation’s energy industry,” say officials.
Municipal leaders should be applauded for this new campaign and its efforts to foster understanding of the nation’s important energy industry and the positive role it can play in the community at large.
At the same time, it is vital that leaders at all levels understand and acknowledge that residents across Canada will always insist that the nation’s energy industry operates in an environmentally sustainable way.
And that includes the protection of this region’s vital water and land resources at all times. Anything less will never be acceptable.
Dan Singleton is the Mountain View Gazette editor.
