Protesters gather outside Bay of Quinte MP Neil Ellis’s office in Belleville to share their displeasure over the decision to purchase the Trans Mountain pipeline from Kinder Morgan Canada. Photo by Ludwick Chapman, QNet News
By Ludwick Chapman [1]
BELLEVILLE – A small group of people gathered outside Bay of Quinte MP Neil Ellis’s office Tuesday to protest [2] the Liberal government’s purchase of the Trans Mountain pipeline [3] from Kinder Morgan Canada.
It was one of many rallies that took place across the country Monday and Tuesday, after the Trudeau government announced May 29 [4] that it was buying out the Trans Mountain pipeline for $4.5 billion.
“I’m here because I think it’s an extremely bad move by the government, using our money, paying 900 per cent in excess of what the pipeline was purchased for,” said Lionel Enright, one of the protesters at the rally. “It’s a no-brainer. It’s ridiculous what is being done with our taxpayers’ money.”
The deal provides no benefit to Canada’s economy or to Canadians who work in the oil industry, Enright said.
Demonstrator William Vanree told QNet News he fears the impact that the buyout will have on the Canadian economy.
“Why should Canadians buy out an American company that was put together by the leftovers of Enron? [5] And we know what kind of garbage that was, so that’s why I’m here.”
Many of the protesters said they voted for the Liberals in the 2015 federal election but are disappointed with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his party.
“We voted for a Liberal government that promised to reform the National Energy Board [6] process of approval for pipelines. They did not do that,” said Lori Borthwick.
She also expressed concern for the Indigenous communities that will be affected by the pipeline. “This pipeline was approved under dubious circumstances. It’s going through Indigenous lands that are unceded territories that have strongly said that they are against this project.”
A demonstrator adding her name to the petition against the Kinder Morgan pipeline. Photo by Ludwick Chapman, QNet News
The #StopKMBuyout [7] movement has picked up over 100,000 signatures on a petition and gained support from British Columbia to Newfoundland. Borthwick said those concerned about the pipeline can spread awareness: “Write your MP. Phone your MP. Write to (federal environment minister) Catherine McKenna.”
McKenna said Monday that the project will move forward [8] despite the protests.
The buyout will not be finalized for at least a month, so there is hope among opponents that the protests will cause the government to reconsider the deal, but skepticism that this will happen, Vanree said.
“I think that ultimately Mr. Trudeau made a big mistake, and as any politician knows, you can’t say, ‘Oops, I made a mistake.’ So now we’re stuck with this stuff,” said Vanree. “They say $4.5 billion; I think it’s going to be more like $20 billion when everything is said and done.”
Ellis was not at his office at the time of the protest, but a representative of the MP registered the names of the protesters as being opposed to the pipeline buyout.