Alberta oilfield worker Bernard Hancock has become an unofficial spokesperson for Canada鈥檚 beleaguered oil and gas industry, after the roughneck made an impassioned plea to federal politicians on Parliament Hill.
Dressed in a red hard hat and greased work overalls, was in Ottawa last week, for the presentation of one of the largest-ever presented to the House of Commons. Signed by more than 34,000 Canadians, the petition calls for better respect for Alberta鈥檚 oil industry.
Hancock said he鈥檚 speaking out for Albertans, many of whom are desperately seeking employment.
鈥淚鈥檓 not a guy from Calgary in a suit, I鈥檓 not a guy who鈥檚 knowledgeable about public policy or the processes that go on in buildings like this, I鈥檓 a roughneck,鈥� he told reporters on Parliament Hill. 鈥淚鈥檓 a guy who has a job in Alberta whose livelihood has been threatened.鈥�
In an interview on CTV鈥檚 Your Morning on Monday, Hancock said he made the trip to Ottawa to try and persuade the government to take action. The situation remains bleak for those who depend on the oilfield industry for employment, he said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 extremely difficult,鈥� Hancock said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 guys out there who work in minimum-wage jobs, just to make it. There鈥檚 consultants out there rough-necking, breaking their backs and they鈥檙e 45 years old.鈥�
What鈥檚 worse, Hancock added, is that the unemployed people trying to get those back-breaking jobs won鈥檛 get hired, 鈥渂ecause these employers know that once the patch picks up, these guys will leave.鈥�
Blaming the current employment situation on low oil prices is a 鈥渄isingenuous鈥� argument, Hancock said. 鈥淚nterest rates are low, the Canadian dollar is low, and services are cheaper than they鈥檝e ever been, and oilfield companies plan on 20- to 30-year timelines.鈥�
The petition presented to the House of Commons calls on the government to champion the oil industry and 鈥渞ecognize that we need to get our product to tide water,鈥� Hancock said.
He said a lack of new pipelines inhibits Canada鈥檚 ability to move oil, and thus be competitive as possible on a global scale.
鈥淲e need safe, reliable transport of our resources and we want to promote the most ethical and environmentally responsible jurisdiction in the world, and the good Canadian people that work in it,鈥� Hancock said.
He said, while pipeline leaks are a 鈥渞easonable concern,鈥� no one wants to see another tragedy like the 2013 rail disaster in Lac Megantic, Que.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got to think about what the alternative is to not building these pipelines, and 鈥� that鈥檚 more rail transport,鈥� Hancock said.
He also said Canada shouldn鈥檛 be importing oil from countries in the Middle East, where he says many citizens, such as those in the LGBT community, face human rights abuses.
鈥淐anadians don鈥檛 seem to realize that if don鈥檛 produce this product here, it鈥檚 geo-politically destabilizing, and we鈥檙e helping out our enemies in countries that do not respect human rights,鈥� Hancock said.
Hancock said he doesn鈥檛 think Canadians outside of Alberta understand the scope of the pain being caused by high unemployment rates in the province.
鈥淔amilies are being destroyed, guys are having to come to the banks with the keys to their homes,鈥� he said, adding it鈥檚 鈥渢ime Canada sticks up for Alberta.鈥�
In a statement to CTV鈥檚 Your Morning, the federal government said it will be tabling a response to the petition in Parliament, and until then can鈥檛 speak to the specifics of the petition. The Ministry of Natural Resources also said it is working to address the situation in Alberta.
鈥淏udget 2016 includes measures to support the creation of a more resilient sector over the long term and help Canadian families affected by the recent downturn in the industry,鈥� the statement said.
