The CBC reports that according to an EKOS poll:
– 39 per cent of respondents said offshore drilling in Canadian waters should be suspended until the government can review the risks
– 13 per cent said the practice should be stopped permanently
– 32 per cent of respondents believe drilling should continue until it is determined whether there are serious risks of a similar spill (as in the Gulf of Mexico) off Canada’s shores
– 9 per cent said they think drilling should continue as usual.
While the CBC reports this as ‘Canadians split on offshore drilling: poll’, the poll suggests that 52 percent want a suspension of offshore drilling (either temporary or permanent) and 84 percent would agree to some stoppage if serious risks are proven.
This poll asks about current offshore drilling in Canadian waters. There are currently three oil rigs off the coast of Newfoundland (the Hibernia, Terra Nova and White Rose platforms). Drilling has just started in the Orphan Basin.
And there is the offshore Sable natural gas project located near Sable Island, Nova Scotia.
The Council of Canadians is calling for a moratorium on all new exploration for fossil fuel resources in the Arctic region.
The CBC news report is at http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/05/20/ekos-oil-poll.html.
