I am one of the thousands who stand together in the pursuit to stop fracking.
Leave the fossil fuel in the ground until there is certainty industry will create true economic benefits to Yukoners and others without the degradation of air, water, land, and the social harmony of the people within Yukon.
If we focused the same amount of energy and funds on renewable energy as we are on the extraction of fossil fuels, these past years, we would now have an economic engine in Yukon and the renewable energy sources to support our modern needs and new mining ventures.
I was present at the oil and gas hearings Jan. 31, and again on Feb. 1.
Regulations are moot if the will of industry does not follow them. All the cases of violation of regulations are treated after the fact, not before, hence the destruction is now a living crisis for the area where the incident happened. Note: the National Energy Board was unable to answer most questions - very revealing and there are cases where they sat on important information - an injustice to society.
When I was within the mining district in Yukon, many years ago, there was a miner whom each night went out and diverted the creek for his gain. He would then return it to the channel before morning. The majority of miners are very respectful of what is correct and it only takes a few to negate the care of many.
This was a very small enterprise, while the current business ventures in pursuit of fossil fuels are huge, from somewhere else, and answer to shareholders and the markets, not Yukoners.
Then, there is the China-Canada trade deal to consider. Do we sell our soul for 30 years of degradation, believing we are creating an economic engine for Yukon? Where is the economic benefit when we, at a later date, now experienced and sunk in the plight of our lands becoming a wasteland, realize we are trapped, owned, directed by foreign interests whom have no interest in our well-being and/or preserving what we hold dear and near?
Many have written, given testimonials, researched, tested, done the science, and some have presented at hearings - the body of evidence is present - we do not know enough about fracking to be swimming in this pool - currently there is no life-jacket capable of keeping us safe.
Fracking will eventually gut the tourist industry, our lands, our rivers, our children. Let’s “mine” people - give them a once-in-a-lifetime experience no longer available in the rest of the world. And in the meantime, let’s get to work on reducing our consumption of energy and finding solutions of renewables for future demand.
Davina Harker
Whitehorse