JUXTAPOSITION OF TWO RESOURCE/ENVIRONMENTAL ARTICLES IS HILARIOUS

Today's Waterloo Region Record has a story on page A3 titled "CN Rail chief calls for tighter regulation after latest incident". They also have an opinion piece by Gwyn Morgan in the same section titled "Investment in resources being stymied by vocal minority". The opinion piece by a self professed business leader and director of five global corporations is filled with exaggerated right-wing rhetoric including "environmental zealots", "strident knee jerk opposition" and my favourite "Canadian environmental standards rank among the world's best". Sorry Gwyn but I've been dealing with federal and provincial environmental standards and regulatory bodies for almost a quarter of a century and they rank with the world's most hypocritical and incompetent.

The first article decribes yet another train derailment, this one in New Brunswick. Yes it also involves crude oil and it is on fire. There will be nasty air pollution and most likely nasty groundwater pollution unless things are frozen enough that they can clean it up before it soaks into the ground. Interestingly the rail companies, politicians and other stakeholders are all clamoring for both U.S. and Canadian regulators to step up and demand improvements to rail cars being used to transport hazardous chemicals including crude oil. These regulators of course include those that supposedly are enforcing some of the world's best environmental standards. Maybe not so much afterall Gwyn.