Important facts on the fight over Enbridge’s Line 5

Re Common sense must prevail in Line 5 fight, Olive, May 8

David Olive outlines the negotiation items to allow Enbridge’s Michigan Line 5 to continue for now. Throughout Canada, most pressure is from Alberta.

There are a couple of things worth mentioning:

In 2010, a different Enbridge line ruptured and spilled, contaminating the Kalamazoo River in Michigan. Officials then sanctioned diversion of safe water from Flint, Mich., in 2014, leading to poisoning of many, especially children, which was discovered later.

Given this history, why would any governor of Michigan now agree to further risks to the state’s waterways?

At the same time, why should Canadians get riled up to help the Alberta government when we Canadians pay provincial sales and services tax on everything and Albertans still enjoy a holiday from sales taxes? This is huge. Premier Jason Kenney wants us to pay, but not his flock.

Let’s put all provinces on an equal footing first. Allan Fox, University of Toronto