Oil Sands Industry
March 24, 2010
Mrs. Forsyth: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Like many members of this House a key part of our learning takes place when we leave the Assembly and meet face to face with Albertans. One of my most valuable learning opportunities came when I was able to visit Fort McMurray and tour the oil sands. The oil sands are truly a marvel of technology, human innovation, and ingenuity, and as each new project comes forward, they change how they operate and how our energy resources are extracted. Can more be done? Absolutely. Is industry making progress? You bet. Do we all want a healthy environment? Of course. Do we want to build partnerships? Yes.
But, Mr. Speaker, we all know that there are some groups who want to play games with some very serious issues. Some groups resort to childish pranks or breaking the law because their views are not resonating with Albertans. Albertans do not like it when outside groups or rabble-rousers try to diminish our accomplishments, our expertise, or the degree to which we care for our energy and environment resources. What truly matters to Albertans is that people do what they say they are going to do and that companies live up to their words and that government sets a fair playing field.
Many of us know the good work that the oil sands industry does and will continue to do well into the future. We know that oil sands operators have reduced the CO2 intensity by 27 per cent since 1990.
We know that oil sands operators are conserving and using energy more efficiently. We know that new projects are going to dry tailings to treat processed waste. We know that reclamation practices are improving. These are just a few of the things we know about our oil sands industry, Mr. Speaker.
While some continue to ignore the facts about one of our province’s most significant industries, we should take comfort in the truth, that Alberta’s oil sands industry is doing its part to ensure that new technologies, new environmental practices, and new practices come forward so that industry can do even better. That is why not only does industry prosper; Albertans will prosper.
Video