Seismic Ostriches

Voice Of The People
Letter by Brian Peters
The Halifax Herald
Dec. 15, 2003

Premier John Hamm, in his demand for proof that seismic testing will harm fish stocks, reminds me of the tobacco industry demanding proof that nicotine causes cancer, or of Dow Chemical's denial of the dangers of Agent Orange.

Even when our best science warns against taking the chance of endangering our best fishery, our premier refuses to listen. The few hundred jobs that the oil and gas industry promises to send our way pale in comparison to the thousands of jobs that are dependent on a pristine environment for tourism and a healthy ecosystem for fisheries.

Why would the honourables Cecil Clarke and Rodney MacDonald be willing to betray the business people and artists of their constituencies by supporting the potentially destructive development of oil and gas reserves, while the rest of the Eastern Seaboard has imposed a moratorium on such development?

Maybe Mr. Clarke has been watching too many re-runs of the "Beverly Hillbillies." Perhaps our Minister of Culture has been overwhelmed by "Dallas." Meanwhile, in the real world, there are scientists, students, environmentalists, religious leaders and a lot of just plain people opposed and determined to stop oil and gas development near our shores.

Among those opposed are the premiers of neighbouring provinces. Premier Hamm and his ministers had better listen to their constituents and stop the seismic testing or face defeat at the polls and humiliation among their counterparts.

Brian Peters, Margaree Forks