Voice of the People Tour kick-off
Delta Hotel Fredericton - March 20 2014
Who are we? Firstly, the Voice of the People Tour is being organized by concerned citizens through various community organizations: the Council of Canadians, the New Brunswick Anti Shale Gas Alliance, the Fredericton District Labour Council and Unifor. We are working together to bring these important issues to the people in our communities.
The Voice of the People Tour will be coming to communities in every corner of the province. We want to hear your voice!
The purpose of our tour is to provide public education about shale gas and clean energy.
We will be asking the people in our communities:
- • Do we know everything we need to about shale gas?
- • Is shale gas the only way to create jobs?
- • What do you want in your backyard?
Our concerns are broadly shared. We are here today in solidarity with many other organizations who have given their endorsement to the Voice of the People Tour. Why? Because they too are concerned with the dangers of shale gas and the lack of consultation with the people.
These organizations are:
CUPE
Unifor
Fredericton and District Labour Council
The New Brunswick Federation of Labour
New Brunswick Anti-Shale Gas Alliance
Council of Canadians
Conservation Council of New Brunswick
The National Farmers Union
And more...
The tour will highlight why so many organizations and people are against shale gas, including 130 New Brunswick municipalities, community organizations, and professional associations. Most recently, many labour unions have called for a Provincial/national moratorium on shale gas development.
Why have the citizens organized this tour? Because we believe that the peoples' voice is vital in democracy. Over the past 4 years there has been little to no consultation or public meetings initiated by the government, nor by industry. So, people are organizing themselves. Also, there has been no consultation with the First Peoples of this land.
In addition, the Government of New Brunswick has failed to provide the public with peer reviewed scientific evidence of the harmful effects of shale gas fracking, and shale gas development. The people are not getting the information they need.
The Premier would have us believe that shale gas is the only way to create jobs in this Province. We know this is not true. In fact, according to Blue-Green Canada, for the same investment there are seven times more jobs created with clean energy and building efficiency than with the oil and gas industry.
For example, The 2013 Massachusetts Clean Energy Industry report showed that there were double the number of clean energy workers compared with the number of natural gas workers in neighbouring shale gas state of Pennsylvania. 80,000 jobs were created in the clean energy versus 40,000 jobs in the natural gas sector.
Clean jobs and green energy are possible and more financially viable and long term. Shale gas jobs disappear once the wells are drilled.
It makes more sense for New Brunswick to invest in clean energy alternatives instead of shale gas. It's safer and creates more jobs. To do otherwise would be a lost opportunity for our Province.
We believe the people will be the problem solvers in this tour.
The people have this responsibility.
The people have this responsibility.
Signed - The Voice of the People Coalition
voiceofthepeopletour@gmail.com
