Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - June 08, 2012, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE A13 V ICTORIA - Federal NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair is clearly a man who chooses to enrage rather than engage. Preparing to visit Alberta's oil sands last week, he stated that " Their ( environmental) model for development is Nigeria." That Mulcair had never actually been to either Nigeria or the oilsands was clearly no impediment to this astonishing pronouncement. Nevertheless, his earnest and cordial Alberta hosts did their best to show him the great strides the industry has made in reducing the environmental impacts of oil- extraction operations and the restored mine sites where wood bison and other wildlife now roam. Mulclair would have learned the entire disturbed area of the oilsands is 100 square kilometres smaller than the footprint of the city of Toronto and comprises just one- tenth of one per cent of the Alberta northern boreal forest. He would also have learned the oilsands produce just five per cent of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions. Predictably, there is no sign these facts altered his characterization of the oilsands as a threat to local and global ecosystems. But surely Mulcair's earlier allegation the oilsands " model for development is Nigeria" obliges him to next visit the Nigerian Delta, where he would see firsthand that thousands of oil spills have made the drinking of water almost as hazardous as being subjected to the human rights abuses and deadly conflicts that pervade the region. After his blusters about environmental Armageddon comes his " Dutch disease" theory. It starts with the premise that, since oil- export revenue lifts Canada's balance of payments and generates national wealth, global money markets will value our dollar higher than if we didn't produce oil. All true, so far. But then comes his leap of logic that, if we just stopped producing oil, the dollar would fall, manufacturers would thrive and Canadians would be better off. But would they really? No one disputes Alberta is the biggest beneficiary of oilsands development, but Albertans also return much of that financial gain to the nation. In 2009, Alberta corporations and individuals paid some $ 40 billion in taxes to the federal government, while receiving $ 19 billion back in goods and services. That $ 21- billion difference helps fund federal programs that benefit the entire country, as well as providing the lion's share of equalization cash paid largely to Quebec and the Atlantic provinces. Moreover, oilsands companies buy a lot from other provinces. A study by the Macdonald Laurier Institute forecasts that, over the next 25 years in Ontario alone, oilsands developers will create 1.3 million person years of employment and create an economic impact of $ 95 billion. Mulcair has conveniently neglected to mention oil from Alberta, as well as Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Newfoundland is only one of the resource exports that help strengthen our dollar. British Columbia's natural gas, forest products and metal resources; Saskatchewan's potash, Manitoba and Quebec's hydro power all contribute to Canada's trade balance. If Mulcair's theory that our country would be better off without oil exports was true, then wouldn't it follow that stopping all resource exports would allow manufacturers to thrive even more? But here are some more of those darned facts that clash with Mulcair's theories. A recent study by the Institute for Research on Public Policy concluded only one- quarter of total Canadian manufacturing output has been negatively impacted by a stronger loonie. Many manufacturers have actually benefited by importing productivity- improving equipment. And where manufacturing plants have shut down, it's sometimes due to the actions of provincial governments, the huge increases in electricity costs driven by Ontario's misguided green energy subsidies being a prime example. A new world economic order is dawning, with global growth moving from the West to the East. Resource- hungry Asia is rising to lead that new economic order. Canada is the only G8 country capable of supplying those resources, which already account for half of our export revenue. Resource- sector employment is a mainstay across our country, employing hundreds of thousands from labourers to skilled trades to engineers and accountants. The environmental record of Canada's resource industries ranks among the best in the world. Rather than irresponsibly accusing those who proudly work in them of " unsustainable" practices and of causing " Dutch disease," Canadians should expect a person aspiring to be prime minister would understand it's Canada's " resource advantage" that can keep our country strong and prosperous in the new world economic order. Gwyn Morgan is a Canadian business leader and director of two global corporations. - Troy Media Incorrect assumptions Re: Pawns in their game ( Letters, June 5). Contrary to Dianne Baker's claims, as a result of the Israeli- Palestinian agreements following the Oslo Accords of 1993 and subsequent unilateral Israeli withdrawals, the Palestinian Authority now governs the civil affairs of the 98 per cent of Palestinian Arabs who live in the West Bank. Area C of the West Bank, a sparsely populated land under Israeli control, is home to just four per cent of Palestinians. As to Israel's settlements, they make up less than three per cent of the West Bank's overall territory. Baker has incorrectly assumed land was taken from the Palestinians and can, therefore, be returned. However, historical record shows while the land was controlled by various entities throughout time, it was never controlled by or taken from the Palestinians. Before 1967, when the West Bank came into Israeli hands after a war precipitated by pan- Arab aggression, Jordan ruled the territory. Prior to that, it was under British rule. Before that, it was Ottoman territory and that of a number of other ancient empires. Importantly, according to UN Security Council Resolution 242, Israel, having conquered the land in a defensive war, is authorized to remain in possession of the territories. According to Resolution 242, when " a just and lasting peace in the Middle East" is achieved, Israel can withdraw to " secure and recognized boundaries." Further, Israel rejects the notion the Fourth Geneva Convention is applicable to the territories, as the convention prohibits the forcible transfer of people of one state to the territory of another state it has occupied as a result of a war. Jews were never forced to live in the West Bank; theirs was a voluntary return to the land from which they or their ancestors were uprooted, for example, in the Hebron massacre in 1922. In sharp contrast, Israel forcibly transferred Jews out of Gaza in the " disengagement" of 2005. As far as the claim Israelis steal water from the Palestinians, the inconvenient truth for Baker is Israel exports volumes of water to the West Bank greatly in excess of what the Oslo Accords mandated. This is done, among other reasons, to compensate for the Palestinian Water Authority's repeated failure to implement approved water projects. It's also worth remembering under Jordanian rule prior to 1967, only one in 10 West Bank households was connected to running water. Today, owing to Israel's water policy, the figure stands at 96 per cent and is rising. MIKE FEGELMAN Toronto �� I was surprised the Free Press chose to give the letter from Dianne Baker attacking the Jewish National Fund such prominence by categorizing it as Letter of the Day. And just to make sure that you got the readers' attention, a photo of an Israeli police officer detaining a Palestinian woman was popped in, almost as an exclamation point. The JNF can speak for itself. However, considering the fact that the organization had honoured Bonnie and John Buhler the night before, the letter was also intended to embarrass a prominent and philanthropic Winnipeg family and for that alone, your paper should not have gone out of its way to give this attack such prominence. BOB FREEDMAN Jewish Federation of Winnipeg �� John Buhler made it quite clear his generous support of the Jewish National Fund is intended to assist in the production and expansion of the bell pepper crop - surely a matter completely devoid of politics. For Baker to take the Buhlers to task for their unusual generosity is most uncivil and extremely mean- spirited. HARRIS GULKO Winnipeg �� Does Dianne Baker not know that John Buhler has not owned his tractor company for a few years now? If other people are as ill- informed as she, it is no wonder there is turmoil in the Middle East. SCOTT HILLHOUSE Winnipeg Dismal ignorance Re: Tyranny of the minority ( Letters, June 2). With regard to university fees and funding, Ihor Holowczynsky, Mark Lipson and Al Mackling all display a dismal ignorance of the situation in the more advanced democracies. In Sweden, for instance, there are no such things as university fees. All you need to get into university is a really good grade- point average. Because there is tremendous competition to get in, only the very best students are accepted. So there is no need for remedial reading courses. Only the cream of the crop of BAs go on to master's and only the best of those go on to a PhD. This naturally results in a very high quality of graduates. Teaching at one of these schools must be very rewarding. Similarly, in the matter of the violence, we should not be too quick to condemn the union leaders. In one of the riots, a policeman inadvertently arrested one of the undercover policemen who was instigating window- smashing. Plus, how stupid must a policeman be to leave his automobile abandoned in the middle of a riot? This, too, smacks of entrapment. BILL ROLLS Emerson Bombarding youth Re: Outside the box ( Letters, May 30). Young people inevitably test the boundaries of parental limitations, and you don't have to coach children to rebel against parental values. Nonetheless, it is a worthwhile struggle to attempt to create for children a preserve of innocence in the home during their all- toobrief childhood years, knowing that soon they will be exposed to a moral hurricane and at an ever- earlier age. Only the worldly wizened think this effort to be restrictive. Offering many choices to children without any guidance in order to form moral judgments, and encouraging them to question those they came to school with, may seem like wisdom if you assume that the values a child already has ipso facto need to be changed. But besides parental influences, young people today are bombarded by a welter of mind- moulding influences through media, the entertainment world and even some school curricula. I once asked a student at the University of Manitoba why he was important. His blank stare prompted me to offer my answer, after which he responded with one of the saddest statements I've ever heard: " I'm a fourth- year biology student. All we're here for is to eat, sleep and procreate." I'm sure the parents of this man take much comfort from what really matters: Their son arrived at this decision on his own. ROBERT WEISS Winnipeg Mac- Paps live on Terrence Rundle West ( All dead but one , May 30) and Francisco Valenzuela ( A tribute to bravery , Letters, June 2) can be assured that the Mackenzie- Papineau Battalion has been, and will be, remembered. The 1,546 Canadian volunteers of the International Brigades ( a volunteer force from 53 countries) who fought in the Spanish Civil War have been commemorated on many occasions in Spain and Canada, not only in articles, books, websites and public events, but also with monuments in Ottawa, Victoria, Toronto and Winnipeg, the latter with a plaque at city hall in remembrance of the 106 volunteers from Manitoba, of whom 21 were killed and buried in Spain. JESUS ANGEL MIGUEL GARCIA The Spanish Institute Winnipeg HAVE YOUR SAY: The Free Press welcomes letters from readers. Include the author's name, address and telephone number. Letters may be edited. Letters to the Editor, 1355 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg, R2X 3B6. Fax 697- 7412. Email letters@ freepress. mb. ca Letters represent the opinions of their writers and do not reflect the opinions of the Winnipeg Free Press or its staff. �� LETTER OF THE DAY Winnipeg Free Press Friday, June 8, 2012 A 13 POLL �� TODAY'S QUESTION Should Dean Del Mastro step down for allegedly breaching the spending limit for his 2008 campaign? �� Vote online at winnipegfreepress. com �� PREVIOUS QUESTION A poll suggests Winnipeggers are unhappy with city services compared to other Canadian cities. What do you think? Makes sense 51% Makes no sense 21% All polls are stupid 28% TOTAL RESPONSES 4,106 Winnipeg Free Press est 1872 / Winnipeg Tribune est 1890 VOL 140 NO 205 2012 Winnipeg Free Press, a division of FP Canadian Newspapers Limited Partnership. Published seven days a week at 1355 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R2X 3B6, PH: 697- 7000 BOB COX / Publisher MARGO GOODHAND / Editor JULIE CARL / Deputy Editor N O surprise here; in fact, rules were made to be broken, the saying goes. It's looking more like the federal Liberal interim leader will get a shot at the official gig. Perhaps the worst- kept secret in the party, ever since Bob Rae filled in as party chief after Michael Ignatieff bowed out, speculation continued as to his possible future in the post. Current Liberal rules bar an interim leader from running for the official spot, largely because it's deemed the person would have an unfair advantage. In the meantime, there has been a change in the party's executive membership and The Canadian Press reports the new members are expected to change that restriction, thus opening a leadership run for Rae. And that raises all sorts of possibilities about potential political nastiness from the Liberals' opponents. Rae has proven strong leading the party in the House; he thinks well on his feet and is strong mounting opposition - albeit in third spot. But he will always be dogged by the shadow of his stint as NDP premier in Ontario in the 1990s and the deficit racked up as the province went through a period of recession. Political foes will also question his political stripe, as he later joined the Liberals - they'll nip at anything that draws blood. In fact, thinking back on the past two Liberal leadership races: In the first, Ignatieff and Rae watched in dismay as St�phane Dion came up the middle for the win; in the second Rae was apparently pressured to let Ignatieff be anointed. We all saw how those last two leaders sputtered. Anyone with a vested interest in the party - or even in strong political criticism - will acknowledge the Liberals are long overdue for a leader with strong character and clout. It will be interesting to watch where this goes. In a way, although plenty of Conservatives are aware of Rae's strengths, they'll still relish the target he'll provide if he gets the post. There will also be Liberals with misgivings for the same reasons. OTHER OPINION Looks like Bob Rae will get shot at leadership The New Glasgow News Alberta is no Nigeria, Mr. Mulcair GWYN MORGAN Regarding Dennis Fenton's June 6 letter about your June 2 story Black bear was close enough to hug , the Free Press 's decision to publish a letter comparing law- abiding hunters to killing- floor workers in a slaughterhouse is simply unacceptable. Manitoba is home to hundreds of hunting and fishing outfitters and lodges. They are run by licensed, professional operators who happily comply with provincial wildlife laws and hunter's safety requirements, as well as their own personal moral and ethical standards and those of the larger hunting community. They are legitimate business people and have the right to do business without having their pursuits called into question in such a vulgar manner. Not everyone supports hunting, and a diversity of opinion on the subject is perfectly acceptable and even welcome, as debate can sometimes help those who have never been involved in a hunt better understand this deep- rooted Canadian tradition. However, to dismiss hunting in general as being akin to a slaughterhouse killing floor displays a profound lack of understanding and a remarkable absence of compassion for those who make it their life's work. PAUL TURENNE Manitoba Lodges and Outfitters Association Winnipeg A bear looks into a photographer's lens in the Manitoba outdoors. Unacceptable comparison A_ 13_ Jun- 08- 12_ FP_ 01. indd A13 6/ 7/ 12 7: 05: 13 PM ;