The Irvings gives their views on the protesters but the public are not allowed to fight back. I'm going to push that the Senate investigate the Irvings on this issue.
Freedom of speech must remain alive in this Province.
Hey? Maybe the New York Times will accept letters to the editor on this issue????...lol
Civility and sour grapes
As published on page A6 on November 29, 2006
With the National Energy Board's hearings now concluded, Saint John's mayor and councillors probably thought the protests over a proposed LNG pipeline were over. After all, citizens who are opposed to the pipeline have had their say as intervenors.
Sadly, it seems some protesters are not content to let the process take its course. They've been showing up at public meetings on unrelated topics, challenging local politicians who didn't endorse their point of view.
These protesters need to get real. The public political debate is over. Continuing to heckle and hustle just makes them look bitter and out of touch.
Every voter has the right to hold political representatives accountable, but once a political decision has been made, accountability is generally exercised at the voting booth. Council has already thrown its support behind the Brunswick Pipeline route through Rockwood Park; the National Energy Board has heard from the company, experts and intervenors and retired to make its decision. What do those dissatisfied by council's position hope to achieve now?
The time to persuade councillors to back a different route ended with council's last vote on the issue, just ahead of the NEB hearings. The place to question councillors about how they voted is in letters, or e-mails, or phone calls, or by personal appointment - not at public meetings on more pressing issues. The public agenda has moved on.
Town hall meetings offer the residents of particular neighbourhoods a chance to raise their concerns. Monday night's meeting at the Boys and Girls Club drew nearly 50 people and centred on what to do about prostitution, garbage collection and diverting truck traffic away from the Uptown. The LNG controversy couldn't have been on the agenda of many residents, because they didn't raise it - members of a protest group who live outside the neighbourhood did.
The more protesters continue in this fashion - heedless of the circumstances, propriety or the interests of other city residents - the more they damage their credibility.
The NEB will decide where the pipeline will go based on the evidence it has heard, and there's noting more council can do about it.
1 comment:
Message to the TJ Editorial Board
Comments on your editoral today in the Telegraph Journal called "Civility and sour grapes"
First of all the "proposed LNG pipeline" is actually the "proposed natural gas pipeline" and only those who are ignorant or under the influence of the PR machine use that term.
"After all, citizens who are opposed to the pipeline have had their say as intervenors."
We didn't and if you were there you would have seen this. Some very revelant and revealing questions were dimissed.
"They've been showing up at public meetings on unrelated topics"
Do you mean Monday at the open Town Hall meeting at the Boys and Girls Club about issues of the day? That was a good place to ask questions to the Mayor and Council. What other public meetings do you speak of?
"The public political debate is over."
This statement is equivalent to " The past is over." by George W Bush.
"Every voter has the right to hold political representatives accountable, but once a political decision has been made, accountability is generally exercised at the voting booth."
We have a right to express our concerns about bad political decisions when they occur. Thanks for the muncipal election reference -it's to be held May 2008.
Council has already thrown its support behind the Brunswick Pipeline route through Rockwood Park
Well this is a cue to mention the week before the hearings started the reversed their opposition in a meeting where they were offered $5,300,000 by the Pipeline Company. They were forced to vote on this suprise offer immediately without "retiring" to make a decision.
"The place to question councillors about how they voted is in letters, or e-mails, or phone calls, or by personal appointment - not at public meetings on more pressing issues"
This was a Town Hall meeting with the public and this is a pressing issue, 1440 Pounds per square pressing.
"The public agenda has moved on."
You say this like you control it or set it. We're the public and we hold the agenda. It's not moving if we don't want it to.
"Town hall meetings offer the residents of particular neighbourhoods a chance to raise their concerns."
Some of the Friends of Rockwood Park live and work in the Village and had a right to be there. We have many supporters in that neighborhood.
"Monday night's meeting at the Boys and Girls Club drew nearly 50 people and centred on what to do about prostitution, garbage collection and diverting truck traffic away from the Uptown"
Bless the kind souls and volunteers in the Village. They've already presented to Council on their lengthy "Desire" list. They were very successful at getting the message across thus very few Village committee members or Villagers were present that night.
"The LNG controversy couldn't have been on the agenda of many residents, because they didn't raise it - members of a protest group who live outside the neighbourhood did.
"
How do you know where we live? Do you have a list of names and addresses of our Friends?
"The more protesters continue in this fashion - heedless of the circumstances, propriety or the interests of other city residents - the more they damage their credibility"
Our credibility is right where we want it.
The NEB will decide where the pipeline will go based on the evidence it has heard, and there's noting more council can do about it.
Yes , the National Energy Board will weigh the evidence we tested with our research and questions through cross examination having little time or financial resources to prepare. As for Council, their effect was a big zero and they need to examine their credibility with the public.
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