 Environment - February 27, 2008 |
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Poll suggests new approach to oilsands
Pembina Institute candidates’ poll shows consensus |
By Kevin Ma
Staff Writer
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Albertans can expect big changes to the way the government manages the oilsands, no matter who they vote for, suggests a recent poll.
The Pembina Institute, an environmental think-tank, published its oilsands survey of election candidates Tuesday. The poll asked 192 candidates from all but two ridings five questions on how the province should manage the growth of the oilsands.
This election’s big issues — crumbling infrastructure, affordable housing, health care and the environment — are all linked to the oilsands, argued Dan Woynillowicz of the Pembina Institute. "All these are symptoms of a root problem that oilsands development is happening at an irresponsible rate."
The group, which has vocally opposed oilsands expansion in the past, conducted this poll to publicize candidates’ views on the subject, Woynillowicz said. It asked these same questions to 500 Albertans last year in another poll.
Questions and answers
The poll breaks down responses by candidate and riding. All four St. Albert candidates responded to the poll, while just two of the five candidates in Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. Albert (Allan West of the Green Party and Peter Cross of the NDP) responded. Ken Allred of St. Albert was one of just 20 PC candidates to answer the survey. St. Albert candidates Ross Vincent (Green) and Jack Flaherty (Liberal) could not be reached to comment on their responses by press time.
Question one asked if "the oilsands should be developed as fast as possible." Eighty-two per cent of respondents said no, with the NDP leading at 85 per cent and the Wildrose Alliance trailing at 52. About 67 per cent of Albertans said no.
The pace of growth has been way too fast up north, said Katy Campbell, St. Albert NDP candidate, citing housing and infrastructure crunches in her hometown of Grande Prairie. "We’re definitely seeing a lot of negative effects now and I don’t think increasing the pace of development is going to improve that."
Question two asked if the province should halt all new oilsands projects until it addressed environmental and infrastructure issues. About 71 per cent of Albertans and 79 per cent of candidates said yes.
Ken Allred said he did not support a suspension, but did question the current pace of growth. "I don’t think we should necessarily suspend [new oilsands projects], but we should be cautious in our approvals and expansion."
Allred and Campbell both said the government, rather than market forces, should set the rate of oilsands growth, the subject of the fourth question. "Stelmach has said it’s not the government’s job to manage the economy," Campbell said. "I don’t see this as managing the economy. I see it as managing a resource for all Albertans."
Market forces like labour shortages will drive growth, Allred said, but government should regulate it. The province was caught off-guard by a wave of oilsands development, he said, which is why we’re seeing the problems we are now. "We’re in a catch-up situation."
The poll showed a clear split between parties on the subject of greenhouse gas regulations. The Liberals, NDP and Greens favoured absolute emission caps, while the PCs and Wildrose party preferred intensity-based targets. About 70 per cent of Albertans favoured absolute caps, according to the poll.
Broad consensus
The results show broad agreement for a need to change how the province manages the oilsands, Woynillowicz said. "This really is a defining issue for the next government and Alberta’s future."
The poll’s results are available at oilsandswatch.org/survey. |
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