Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
PULSE CHECKWith the federal government’s recent approval of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMEP), there continues to be substantial public attention. We’re cutting through the rhetoric to extract everything you need to know about the supporters and critics shaping the conversation about the Project. Much of this conversation is through social media and events not covered by traditional news sources. Pulse Check reflects what we’ve heard and seen between May 1 - 16, 2017 with direct news and information to keep you informed.
[email protected] | 604.801.6830
Online activity presented below reflects the vocal contributions of the local communities, ENGOs, elected municipal and regional government representatives, and First Nations engaged in a discourse on the TMEP. The election led to a dramatic increase in the mentions of TMEP, as voters used social media to voice their concerns and news outlets reported the stance of each party on the project.
Author and activist @NaomiAKlein had the highest number of followers (399,926) amongst those who tagged #kindermorgan. She retweeted a fundraising plea to help the Secwepemc’ulecw Nation take action against TMEP.
The top mentioned handle was BC Green Party leader Andrew Weaver (@ajwvictoriabc). Twitter users are calling on him to stop the #SiteC dam, the #MasseyBridge construction and #KinderMorgan’s TMEP.
Of all the tweets opposing TMEP, Greenpeace had the highest reach, with 140 retweets reaching over 1.9 million people. The most widely shared post was a retweet from Greenpeace Canada, thanking participants of a water ceremony in North Vancouver on Mother’s Day.
The most retweeted handle was Greenpeace activist @MikeHudema, who was retweeted 775 times. Two tweets were widely shared – one showing oil spills along the TMEP route, and the other encouraging people to “clean-up our mess.”
The most retweeted tweet about #TransMountain came from Alberta Premier @RachelNotley, pledging Alberta’s support for TMEP.
106 ONLINE
ARTICLES
26 BLOG
POSTS
2280 TWEETS
T H E N O I S E
TRENDING HASHTAGS
W H O ’ S TA L K I N G
#BCPoli
#cdnpoli
#SiteC
#stopkm#BCelxn17
The data and trending hashtags presented in this document are based on the tags most frequently used in conjunction with
#kindermorgan. Hashtags are used to link content on social media and those trending represent the highest volume of use.
[email protected] | 604.801.6830
PULSE CHECK
Prior to the election, the Tsleil Waututh Nation (TWN) launched a campaign called Hard to Replace with the purpose of bringing awareness to the potential impacts of TMEP on many election and non-election issues. One branch of this campaign encouraged people to “vote for Orcas” and includes information about the different parties’ stance on TMEP. The campaign coincides with a lawsuit filed in the United States by the Tulalip and Suquamish Tribes, who claim the US Coast Guard failed to ensure the local orca population would not be negatively impacted by the increased tanker traffic associated with TMEP. The tribes believe the US Coast Guard is obliged to implement “traffic separation schemes” to minimize potential interaction between the animals and tanker traffic.
Similar to other training reported in a previous issue of Pulse Check, a three-day Protectors Training Camp is being held June 2 - 4 on Vancouver Island. The camp will provide three days of tactical non-violence workshops teaching “crucial skills, exercises and training for defending land, water, and each other.” While the training has been offered by WildCoast prior to the approval of TMEP, it is being promoted on TMEP opposition Facebook pages. As of May 17, there are 27 people attending.
The Globe and Mail published an interactive article demonstrating how TMEP tankers would navigate the waterways between Westridge Marine Terminal and the open Pacific Ocean.
The National Energy Board also released an interactive tool outlining condition topics, issues and status for TMEP. In the first two weeks, it had over 1,300 views.
Many of the news stories about TMEP centered around the BC Provincial Election on May 9 and the stance of the different parties on the project. The preliminary results indicate a minority government led by the BC Liberal Party, who are supportive of the project. However, with absentee ballots still to be counted and recounts in some constituencies, the balance of power could change. Many organizations are calling on Andrew Weaver and John Horgan to work together to defeat TMEP. The Council of Canadians have initiated a letter-writing campaign directed to the two party leaders, asking them to jointly oppose TMEP, Site C and the expansion of the LNG industry. So far, the campaign has generated 1250 letters.
The #ImAnother campaign took off quickly, with 105 mentions in the first three days of the campaign. The campaign is using posters, billboards, online templates and bus stops for people to take a photo identifying themselves as being opposed to TMEP. Although not explicitly intended as an election campaign, participation significantly dropped off after the May 9 Provincial election. As of May 16, #ImAnother had a total of 284 mentions.
W H AT ’ S T R E N D I N GActivist Training
TMEP Safety and Conditions
TMEP After the Election
Campaigns
Source: The Canadian Press
Source: National Energy Board
[email protected] | 604.801.6830
PULSE CHECK
Event: Kinder Morgan Pipeline Debate – Economic Boon or $7.4B Boondoggle?
Date: May 2, 2017
Location: Vancouver Public Library
An Economic Look at TMEP
On May 2, 2017, the Green Party of Canada hosted a debate about the economics of TMEP. The moderator encouraged the audience to be open to the points made by both sides, though it appeared that all speakers assumed most of the audience opposed the project.
Gordon Cornwall opened the debate, speaking against the project. His argument focused on the drop in world oil prices since the project’s approval. Quoting research by economist Jeff Rubin, Cornwall claimed that new bitumen projects break even at about $90 to $100 per barrel, far beyond the current price of $65 per barrel. He contradicted Alberta Premier Rachel Notley’s claim that TMEP would allow Alberta to break from their land lock and access Asian markets by stating that there were many other sources, such as Mexico, with easier coastal access.
Following Cornwall, Markham Hislop argued in favour of TMEP. He provided a well-rounded argument that focused on the transition from fossil fuels to renewables. He cited research by B. K. Sovacool that claims energy transitions generally occur at 3% per year. To transition more quickly increases both the risk and cost. Under this theory, it would take at least 50 to 80 years for BC to transition to renewables and, in the meantime, fossil fuels are necessary to meet our energy needs. Hislop also addressed Alberta’s energy, saying that Notley is working with industry to decarbonize the oil sands through new technologies and strict penalties for exceeding carbon caps. As
Moderator: George Orr, Vancouver-based broadcast jounalist
For TMEP: Markham Hislop, journalist, publisher of the North American Energy News
Against TMEP: Gordon Cornwall, independent researcher
more countries move towards green economies, there is going to be increasing demand for decarbonized fossil fuels.
While this was an economic debate, most of the questions from the audience focused on potential environmental impacts. Hislop acknowledged that the company has a “trust us” approach and has not adequately communicated mitigation measures that are, or will be, in place. Many questions were unclear and unarticulated because the audience did not have a clear understanding of the extraction and shipping process or standard mitigation systems within the industry.
Although speaking to a mostly oppositional crowd, Hislop’s arguments for the pipeline were rational, well-supported, and well-presented. Cornwall, on the other hand, seemed to miss some of the subtleties of Hislop’s points and fixate on aspects that Hislop was easily able to defend. Hislop was consistent in his argument that Canada needs TMEP while transitioning to renewable energy and that the project will be economically viable in the long-term. Towards the end of the event, he came outright and said that most of Cornwall’s information was incorrect.
W H AT W E ’ V E S E E NF E AT U R E D E V E N T
Canadians do not understand that the country is currently
in a period of energy transition.
–Markham Hislop
[email protected] | 604.801.6830
PULSE CHECK
May 25 – 28: Walk 4 the Salish Sea – The 81 km walk will commence in Saanichton, on Vancouver Island, and end at the Kinder Morgan Westridge Marine Terminal in Burnaby, followed by the Fossil Fuel Freedom Fest at nearby Westridge Park. There will be musical performances, cultural demonstrations and speaking presentations along the way.
June 3: Strip Tide – A Dirty Show for a Clean Coast – A burlesque fundraiser in Victoria to go towards the First Nations legal challenges against TMEP.
Communica is Western Canada’s largest stakeholder and Aboriginal engagement specialist firm. We have the knowledge, capacity and experience to handle the toughest engagement challenges and most rigorous regulatory practices. Our work is guided by our belief that authentic, open and transparent engagement leads to better decision-making and builds mutual respect and trust with stakeholders.
Pulse Check is prepared twice a month and is intended to share information on TMEP in order to support decisions on stakeholder engagement for future projects. To subscribe, please contact [email protected].
W H AT ’ S N E X T
A B O U T C O M M U N I C A
The Coast Salish First Nations and Pacific Climate Warriors held a water ceremony in North Vancouver on Mother’s Day to protect Mother Earth from fossil fuel expansion.
WHO TO WATCH@HarshaWalia is a Vancouver-based activist and journalist. She is vocal in her opposition to TMEP and the BC Liberals and is active in raising awareness and funds to oppose the project. She advocates for many causes, including the rights of indigenous peoples and refugees.
Source: Facebook
