LandKeepers News Archive
Enbridge Also Gives to Environmentalists
March 02 2010 | News Articles | Terrace Standard
By Kat Lee
ELECTED OFFICIALS from the northwest are not the only ones who have accepted money from energy giant Enbridge.
Karen Campbell of the Pembina Institute environmental organization said that Pembina received $167,500 from Enbridge from 2002 to 2008.
The Alberta-founded Pembina Institute has been one of the lead critics of Enbridge’s plan to build a $4.5 billion pipeline to carry oil from Alberta to an export terminal at Kitimat.
The institute did not use the money for its advocacy work, said Campbell, who is a staff lawyer for the institute.
Instead, Enbridge was a founding sponsor of the Green Learning program, which provided an environmental education curriculum content to teachers from kindergarten to Grade 12.
This program has since become an independent organization, Campbell said.
She did add that Pembina employees did not take an honorarium for attending their one and only Enbridge advisory group meeting.
The group has not gone to any other meetings, saying it doesn’t think the pipeline plan will receive a thorough review.
“We would not have accepted an honorarium from Enbridge,” said Campbell. “Enbridge is not providing us with any money.”
The company has set up community advisory boards along the pipeline route, and has been offering $200 honorariums plus expenses to those attending. The honorariums have since risen to $250.
Enbridge vice president of public affairs Steve Greenaway said that the intent of the honorariums is to make sure finances aren’t a barrier to attending.
“That is really what’s at the heart of the expense compensation program,” he said, adding that there was a general support and understanding for it.
“We understand that people’s time is valuable,” he said, adding that as the company invited people to attend, it’s only fair they be paid.
Those who want the honorarium or their expenses reimbursed have to fill out a form, and only one person from each organization is eligible for now.
Enbridge is trying to cap the advisory board meetings to 20 people.
“It is not our intention to limit participation, but in order for the meeting to be meaningful, it has to manageable,” Greenaway said.
Terrace mayor Dave Pernarowski and councillor Brian Downie have both been attending Enbridge meetings and taking payment.
Downie is now the city’s official representative and Pernarowski is the alternate.
There’s been a mixed response on the part of northwestern governments to taking money to attend meetings.
Kitimat-Stikine regional district directors Ted Ramsey and Allan Lanctot aren’t taking money to attend but will file for expenses.
Telkwa mayor Carman Graf is taking both payment and expenses.
Kitimat mayor Joanne Monaghan and Kitimat councillor Randy Halyk have both attending Enbridge meetings but are not taking an honorarium.
“I did not ever put in for an honorarium,” the Kitimat mayor said. “I didn’t apply for it because I didn’t think it was necessary.”
She did add an honorarium might make sense for business people who are taking a day off work.
“I didn’t believe that it was something that I would do as a councillor, or even as an independent person going in there, because I felt that you lose your independence,” said Halyk.
“I’ve never accepted anything from them, and I wouldn’t,” the councillor added.
This Entry is Not Tagged. Click here to Add Tags