Communications and Actions

Speaking Out About Energy and Transport:

Kitimat Plebescite

In April of 2014, the town of Kitimat, BC, faced a plebescite on whether to permit the construction of a pipeline and storage facility for "dilbit" or diluted bitumen — shipped from open pit mining operations in Alberta. A very-high-sulphur and high-molecular-weight hydrocarbon fossil fuel, bitumen must be diluted with low-molecular weight toxic and explosive "diluent" to flow through pipelines. Quite aside from the issue of reducing fossil fuel use and greenhouse gases, or shipping overseas rather than creating refining jobs in Alberta, was the danger inherent in spills.

In 2010, a dilbit pipeline had ruptured, and the resulting spill had contaminated a 56-Km stretch of river in Michigan with diluted bitumen. (see: Wikipedia: Kalamazoo River oil spill).

Given the risk posed to northern water-ways, and also aware of the disasterous Exxon-Valdez spill of crude oil in the ocean off Alaska in 1989, we crafted a letter and circulated it to SCIESO members — asking if we could add their names. The resulting open letter was sent not only to the mayor and council, but also and more importantly to the local paper — who published it two days before the plebescite.

SCIESO Open Letter to Council as published by the Northern Sentinel (pdf)

Other groups also spoke out. The ballot count from the vote was 1,793 opposed versus 1,278 who supported the $6.5-billion dollar project — a margin of 58.4 per cent to 41.6 per cent. The plebescite was non-binding, but in 2015 the government of Canada banned oil tanker traffic on the north coast of British Columbia, effectively killing the project, citing significant adverse environmental effects not justified in the circumstances.

Trans Mountain Pipeline (TMX)

There was a related action in the form of a personal letter from Dr. Abell to the local Kanata Liberal MP, Karen McCrimmon, with reference to the proposed expansion of the Trans Mountain Pipeline (TMX). This pipeline — though described by the Canada Regulator Agency as having the goal of "... transporting crude oil and refined petroleum products from Edmonton, Alberta to refineries and terminals in British Columbia and Washington State ...{and} offshore markets in Asia" — was in-fact intended to take bitumen (as dilbit) to these markets. That the industry and regulators consistently use the term "crude oil" when really talking about "dilbit" is a piece of double-speak right out of Orwell's dytopian "1984"!

Bob's letter was in response to, and generally supportive, of a paper presented by Liberal MP, Terry Beech, Parliamentary Secretary for Science, and MP for Burnaby North–Seymour, to the TMX Ministerial Panel in 2017. More information and a download of Terry's paper is available here: Presentation to the TMX Ministerial Panel

A copy of Bob's letter to MP Karen McCrimmon is here: Re Terry Beech presentation to the Trans Mountain Ministerial Review (pdf)

Speaking Out About Pesticides:

In February of 2011, developers commenced clearcutting 1,100-hectare wilderness forest in the South March Highlands of the Kanata North Ward of Ottawa, an area of historical and spiritual significance to First Nations, home to over 679 species of wildlife, including 20 at risk, and of archaelogical interest — with clear evidence of 10,000 year-old artifacts dating from the end of the last ice age. And this was all done in the absence of an agreed water management plan.

Fast forward to 2014, and there was an increasing problem in the area with mosquitos. The City recommended a pesticide program, and this was submitted to resident land owners for a vote. Scieso's Dr. Abell spoke out about concerns with the approach, but it went ahead based on a low turnout and scientifically questionable information provided to voters. $75,000 was set aside for an impact study, but the research focus was restricted to impacts on similar but non-biting insects in the food chain. There was no research on impacts on mosquito predators. The pesticide, bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis (BTi) has been used for many years and is claimed to be highly specific (targetting only mosqitos, blackfly, and fungus gnat) and totally safe for humans and the environment. It was applied to very large areas by hand and by aerial spraying by helicopter.

The program came up for a vote on renewal in 2019. By this time, in the eyes of many, there were more mosquitos and a longer season, extending well into Fall. Swallows had totally disappeared from storm water ponds along major arterial roads, where they had previously been plentiful. A sighting of a single dragonfly in an entire season became "an event". A review of literature around BT toxins (which are also produced in some genetically modified crops) raised many concerns as to claims of specificity and safety, and in fact questioned the methodology of studies supporting their use. A SCIESO paper based on a review of this literature was prepared, and again circulated to members for feedback and endorsement, and a draft sent to the local city councillor and the City's manager for the program. There was no response from the City.

Letter to Kanata Councilor/Ottawa Land Use and Natural Systems/Senior Planner (pdf)

All evidence to date would indicate these documents were ignored. Dr. Abell also asked to be put on the agenda at the public meetings to present the alternate view to voters. This was refused. The renewal vote proceeded biased by the City and the Proponents positions on the matter. After the vote, Dr. Abell was given 5 minutes to make a case at the budget committee approval meeting (Fedco), chaired by then Mayor Jim Watson. It was cut off two slides from the end — after two unnessary but time consuming interruptions by Mr. Watson ... noting the time left! The Councillor for the area immediately north of Kanata stated that they would NOT be implementing the program in his ward.

The program came up again for renewal and vote in January-February 2024, and City-controlled information sessions were repeated. Dr. Abell took his presentation to social media prior to the vote deadline, using an updated, reworked, and more personal version of the original presentation to Fedco:

Updated from Presentation to Fedco and posted to local social media

The vote was again very low turnout, and the program was continued for a further period. Since the literature on safety is mixed at best, a SCIESO Working Group has been established with the goal of carrying out a comprehensive comparison of mosquito predator species biodiversity in treated and untreated areas. Stay tuned!