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The Sunday Star Times and Stuff ran an article today that was quite incorrect in it’s main point [now corrected on the Stuff vesion]. It’s not councillors that are going – just one staff member each from three councils, which is what I told the SST reporter via my original email:
“Council staff from the three East Coast councils are planning a trip to Canada to visit Apache operations from 3-13th February, Apache is paying the costs of this trip. The delegation is able to set their own agenda so we’re trying to set up some meetings with environmentalists, First Nations representatives and regulators who may be different to the ones Apache organises.”
I’m not sure why the reporter decided to say it is councillors going.
Anyway, I trust our council staff member who is planning to go and report back – we can suggest contacts for the delegation to meet with so some of these might be worthwhile:
- This report could be useful for the delegation to read prior to the trip – and perhaps a meeting with the author, Ben Parfitt. Here’s the promo video for the report.
- Bob Simpson, a BC politician seems pretty concerned about fracking in BC, so a meeting with him might also be worthwhile: www.bobsimpsonmla.ca/contact
- I’ve also made contact with Adam Thomas from the Saik’us First Nation and he’s talking to others about an opportunity to meet with the delegation. Most of local opposition to Apache Corp recently has been focused on it’s billion dollar pipeline across the country, including blockades by the Wetsuweten First Nation.
- Indigenous peoples in Argentina have been occupying Apache Corp plants in Neuquēn on a regular basis in opposition to alleged local water pollution, but the delegation isn’t heading to that part of the Americas – though I would like to establish links with these people in Argentina as we have with fishermen in Brazil who have been opposing Petrobras activities in their bay.
The delegation plan to visit Calgary, Victoria and Fort St John in British Columbia – so let us know urgently if there are any other contacts that may be good to meet with in these areas.
We can also send any questions on to Apache Corp. representative Alex Ferguson who has said the company will answer as best they can.
Sunshine Sermons 