Photo by Vince Fedoroff
FRACK-FREE TERRITORY PROMOTED – Julie Frisch and Don Roberts, seen this morning, have had bumper stickers made up to oppose fracking. They hope to educate Yukoners to the dangers of the drilling practice.
Photo by Vince Fedoroff
FRACK-FREE TERRITORY PROMOTED – Julie Frisch and Don Roberts, seen this morning, have had bumper stickers made up to oppose fracking. They hope to educate Yukoners to the dangers of the drilling practice.
"Protect the Peel” bumper stickers have become commonplace around the territory.
"Protect the Peel” bumper stickers have become commonplace around the territory.
Soon, "Frack Free Yukon” stickers may be just as familiar.
Don Roberts, a former Liberal cabinet minister and independent MLA, and Julie Frisch, both members of the group Yukoners Concerned about Oil and Gas Exploration/Development, unveiled the bumper sticker this morning.
The group is also planning a rally at noon Thursday outside the Yukon government's main administrative building.
The fall session of the legislature is set to begin with question period at 1:00 that afternoon.
Frisch noted there will be speeches at the rally, and a petition against oil and gas exploration will be available for people to sign.
"They're going to be looking at amending YOGA, the Yukon Oil and Gas Act, during this sitting probably, and this would be the appropriate time to put a moratorium on fracking,” she said.
"We, Yukoners Concerned, plus all the other people who are supporting us, be it CPAWS (the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society), be it the Yukon Conservation Society, want to see fracking banned until Yukoners can discuss it, debate it and look at the consequences of it,” said Roberts.
"It's not for me to say no; I'm saying no because I know, with what education I've had so far that it's not good for the land, but I think Yukoners really should know about what dangers fracking poses for our environment.”
Oil and gas companies, Roberts suggested, "are trying to camouflage the dangers of fracking. They have no way of disposing of the fracking fluid.
They basically either leave it in the ground, which eventually comes back up, somehow because the land has been so fractured, or they leave some of it on the soil,” he said.
"This could be in our wild, pristine environment,” the former minister added.
"In today's society, there seems to be a real intent on fracking the living daylights out of Canada,” said Roberts. "Why do we have to frack every corner of the Earth?”
Frisch noted there are just too many questions Yukoners need answers to before fracking is permitted.
The uncertainties include concerns about waste disposal, trucking and the effects of more traffic on the Dempster Highway, and how fracking could affect land underlain by thawing permafrost.
In 2009, the government did consult with Yukoners about changes to the Oil and Gas Act, Frisch noted.
But she added that fracking wasn't on many minds at that time, so those consultations don't cut it.
The group bought almost 2,000 of the bumper stickers.
They can be picked up at Aroma Borealis, Alpine Bakery, BYTE, Midnight Sun Coffee, Well Read Books, CPAWS, the conservation society, the Takhini Hot Springs and more.
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Comments (12)
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Arn Anderson on Nov 1, 2012 at 6:14 am
Sorry Atom, I don't watch a documentary and think I'm King of World and knowitallism. Go discover some critical thought and see where those compass points take ya.
Oh, Michael Moore wants his KFC back.
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Atom on Oct 31, 2012 at 10:59 am
Pretty...you're all heart but the politicians behind O&G industry are still wayyyy too fat.
AArrnn...the true compass point. You sit on that side of the issue, that's clear now...thanks
Dr.S....those frickin frackin sticker folks...they'll take your money and leave you Peelless.
I just ate KFC and dream of powering my car with the gas...til next time folks, keep yer stick on the ice.
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Pretty sad state of affairs on Oct 30, 2012 at 1:16 pm
I won't bother wading down the path regarding the many negative issues surrounding fracking but the bigger picture. Oil, gas, fossil fuels and petroleum based products are finite resources meaning when they are gone, they are gone forever. This will happen within the next generation or two.
Instead of looking at more and more costly and destructive ways to squeeze the last few drops of blood from the stone why don't we channel our collective grey matter and look at alternative, renewable sources for energy and consumer products? The mantra of oil and gas is jobs jobs jobs. Well there are plenty of jobs in alt fuel source development, production and distribution.
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Arn Anderson on Oct 30, 2012 at 10:56 am
Watching a documentary or something labelled as such, doesn't make it factual. ALWAYS research both ends and make a decision, for instance, type in Gasland debunked and you will get a range of arguments.
I just point the way, so don't be hating.
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Dr. S. Cooper on Oct 30, 2012 at 6:53 am
Where are my "Frack the Peel" bumper stickers I ordered?
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AGAINST FRACKING on Oct 30, 2012 at 3:22 am
I think all of Yukon residents should watch the documentary "Gasland". It is quite an eye opener, if you don't know or understand what FRACKING is all about. We have alot of watersheds here we don't need our water and air polluted and contaminated! No water = no life...
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Rebecca on Oct 26, 2012 at 5:28 am
How ignorant are some of these comments? No fracking doesn't mean no extraction. And we drive around in petroleum-powered cars, with petroleum-based upholstry, because there's no alternative. There WON'T be alternatives as long as there's such huge revenue, and gov't subsidies, for oil companies.
Who's not educated? I've spent countless hours researching. My opposition to fracking is not a knee-jerk response.
P.S. I'm not a soy-eating, bike-riding hippie either. Quit with the stereotypes, they're just feeding your ignorance.
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Jackie Ward on Oct 25, 2012 at 8:57 am
Hey Joel. I know where you are going with this. But here's the real kicker. Look around. And I mean look at everything. It was all brought here on a truck. I would like to see what things you have in your house. They want everyone to walk to work and eat soy. Thanks, but no thanks.
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Joel on Oct 25, 2012 at 6:58 am
Driving around in your petroleum fueled and lubricated car, with petroleum based upholstery and paint advocating no more petroleum extraction. Hmm.
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north_of_60 on Oct 24, 2012 at 9:01 am
Hydraulic fracturing old wells with potentially deteriorated casing might increase the risk of groundwater contamination, however banning "Fracking" in the Yukon is like banning all vehicles from the Yukon because a few older ones might be emitting too much pollution.
We don't need more knee-jerk NIMBYs that are easily dismissed as radicals, but rather sensible, serious study, and objective public education. Then develop regulations to address the actual problems.
Perhaps the opposition could contribute more than political posturing and anti-oil propaganda. It would certainly help their credibility.
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Jackie Ward on Oct 23, 2012 at 10:16 am
I suggest the next one be "Stick your roundabouts where the sun don't shine and support geo-thermal energy"
Lol
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Dave Sharp on Oct 23, 2012 at 8:05 am
I imagine they will all drive there in their cars to sign the 'petition against oil and gas exploration'. Maybe we should have NIMBY stickers made for them.
I think I'll get some FREAK FREE YUKON stickers for the moderate majority.