Murray Wood: The day Canada Became a nation
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The Regina and District Chamber of Commerce says a motion passed by the city’s executive committee “turns its nose up at one of the most important economic anchors in our province.”
On Wednesday, the committee voted to restrict fossil fuel companies from sponsorship, naming rights and advertising opportunities with the city.
Chamber CEO John Hopkins said the organization strongly disagrees with the motion.
“We understand and appreciate that moving towards renewables is a good thing and we should be doing that. But it shouldn’t be, ‘OK, let’s throw out the energy sector that we have,’ ” said Hopkins.
“We should use the energy sector and the jobs created by the energy sector to get to our goal, which is to move towards more renewables. There’s no switch that anybody’s going to turn that’s going to stop the fossil fuel industry anytime soon. It just doesn’t exist.”
Hopkins said he had received a number of texts and emails from members who are upset by the motion. He said car dealerships, repair shops, gas stations and Co-op businesses would be impacted.
“We have a refinery here. We have SaskPower’s head office (and) SaskEnergy’s head office. It just leaves a bad taste in your mouth,” said Hopkins.
He questions what would happen to advertisements and signs in the city’s hockey facilities, on baseball diamonds or team sponsorships if the motion is passed by city council.
Hopkins said the motion sends a message that the city doesn’t want the energy sector, an industry he called really important.
“What we’re talking about is companies that are giving back to the community and wanting to give back to the community and the city saying no,” said Hopkins.
Chamber representatives will be attending next week’s council meeting asking for the motion to be defeated.
Petroleum association also criticizes motion
People in the oil industry also weighed in on the motion Thursday.
Tim McMillan, the president and CEO of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, harshly criticized the motion.
“I find it offensive … Our industry is one that is very integrated into Saskatchewan. We want to be very involved in the communities where we operate. We operate with the highest environmental and safety standards and this looks like some cheap virtue signalling,” he said.
He further pointed out challenges the industry is facing, such as new U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to halt the Keystone XL pipeline expansion and recent layoffs at Evraz Steel in Regina, which often produces steel for pipelines.
“It’s damaging and it’s coming at a time where many people in Regina are suffering the effects of this kind of virtue signalling,” he said.
While the key point of the motion is to take fossil fuel companies out of advertising, McMillan said it goes much deeper than that.
“It’s not necessarily even about advertising. Over 30,000 people in Saskatchewan work in the oil and gas industry. We want to (be) and are a part of the communities where we operate … This is integrated into the fabric of our community, into Regina and into Saskatchewan as a whole,” he said.
Hearing about council’s deliberation and the 7-4 vote on the executive committee came as a shock to McMillan.
“We expect to see this in places where elected municipal officials may not know how the oil and gas industry operates. We do a lot of work in Montreal (and) in Ontario … That this would come forward in a community like Regina, that is so integrated and knowledgeable about the resource sector, is shocking,” he said.
He closed with a message to council. First, he thanked the four dissenting voters. Then, he asked the other members to spend more time with oil and gas workers in the community.
“I believe if they had that sort of background,” he said, “this wouldn’t rear its ugly head.”
— With files from 980 CJME’s Dominick Lucyk
