From: Province at crossroads on natural resources by Chris Morris, Telegraph-Journal, August 5, 2014.
“I think the voter has moved beyond the old jobs-versus-the-environment argument and the belief that you can only have one or the other,” says Lois Corbett, executive director of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick.
“Folks have a much more sophisticated understanding of the issues these days. Jobs for whom, and at what risk? I think that is the question politicians may face on the hustings.”
The environmental movement in New Brunswick has gained muscle in recent years. It is vocal and widespread and it is preaching conversion from what its proponents see as the sunset industry of oil and gas in favour of the sunrise potential of renewable energy development such as solar, wind and tidal.
Corbett said voters are becoming suspicious of governments quietly cutting backroom deals with industry for the disposition of public land.
“They are so fed up with the old way of politicians sitting down with fat-cat corporate lawyers in a back room somewhere and coming up with a deal on stuff that actually belongs to the people not to the government and then going out and trying to sell it to the people as opposed to asking the people their opinion first,” Corbett said.
“I think they are fed up with the old way of doing things.”
Corbett said people are heading into this election campaign with a fresh reminder of the potential effects of global warming: the widespread damage caused by post-tropical storm Arthur.
“I don’t think voters want to be pushed into a corner and told, ‘It’s the pipeline or the highway,'” she said.
“They’re saying, ‘Tell me what else you’ve got for me.’ Can we look at how to green our economy as opposed to these long-term commitments to companies from places like Texas and Alberta? What else can we do to grow our economy in a sustainable manner? That’s what people want to hear in this campaign.”