Earlier this week there was a free vote on fracking in the New Brunswick legislature, in which Premier David Alward’s Progressive Conservatives hold 42 of the 55 seats. The Globe and Mail reports, “The non-binding resolution passed the legislature easily Tuesday, with all government members present voting in favour of ‘responsible’ and regulated development of the resource.”
“The government points to shale gas as a way to help the poor province generate badly needed revenues for social programs. …Premier David Alward insists there is no need for a referendum on fracking because their platform was approved by voters in last fall’s election. The Tory platform from that election included a trio of bullet points about mining and natural gas, among them a pledge to support ‘responsible expansion of the natural gas sector’. Critics insist, though, that the government is not living up to the promise of the rest of the line: ‘while ensuring the safety and security of homeowners and our groundwater supply’.”
The article continues, “Fireworks are expected to continue Thursday when another motion is debated. This one was crafted by the Opposition Liberals and questioned the industry, until the governing Tories used their majority to hijack the motion and remove references to a moratorium and public hearings.”
The Council of Canadians opposes fracking because of its high water use, its high carbon emissions, its impacts on human health, the disruption it causes to wildlife, and the danger it poses to groundwater and local drinking water. We are calling for a country-wide stop to fracking operations. We will also be launching a petition campaign shortly to put pressure on the federal government to step into a leadership role and ensure that our water sources, people’s health and the environment are protected from unnecessary and dangerous pollution.
