Community reaction to the Northern Gateway pipeline

Douglas Channel, the proposed shipping route for oil tanker ships in the Enbridge Northern Gateway Project, is pictured in an aerial view just south of Kitimat, B.C., on Jan. 10, 2012.

The proposed Northern Gateway pipeline continues to generate debate and discussion among CBC community members. Our story about high attendance at the opening day of public hearings about the plan received more than 1,600 comments in the first 24 hours after its publication.

On Tuesday, we asked you whether you thought the Northern Gateway oil pipeline should be approved. By Wednesday afternoon, more than 6,400 of you had voted in our unscientific survey, with nearly 56 per cent of respondents saying it should not. Just over 43 per cent said the pipeline should be approved. Less than one per cent said they were unsure.

Many readers disputed claims by pipeline proponents that the plan is good for the Canadian economy:

• "The only people getting 'rich' will be the oil companies and the politicians that helped push this pipeline through. I am quite sure that our political scum already have a board of directors seat reserved for them when they leave office."- Canadian Viewer
• "The pipeline will make Canada rich? If you mean a handful of oil execs and a few hundred construction personnel making two-three years of good wages then yes I agree. As for the other 99.9 percent of us? Not a dime!" - mikem121
• "Make Canada rich? What good is money when the environment is destroyed, the water that we are so famous for is polluted with oil spills, the oceans are dead with no fish and the animals are dying... what good does this do for the future generations? Will they say thank you for the billions of dollars that destroyed our pristine land?"- lonstrup
  

Others said the pipeline's economic benefits outweigh any potential drawbacks:

• "Maybe not rich, but maybe it would do something to help the rampant unemployment in the North." - powderhoundbrr
• "Jobs to maintain the pipeline remain in all areas for the life of the project. The economic spin-off no matter how view jobs remain after is immense. Royalties, both Alberta and federal, are used for federal programs all over Canada!" - slightly right
  

"It is what the people want - maybe not those bought and paid for by Saudi and other foreign interests, but certainly those who depend upon a robust economy for the tax dollars that support health care, education, social programs and the like." - justaviewer

The CBCNews.ca story quoted Charissa Woods, 12, and Elmer Smith, 10, as being concerned about the potential environmental impacts of the pipeline.

"I think that if any oil leaks ... and leaks into the ocean ... it's going to poison all the other fish," Woods said.

"All the animals will die. Yeah, it'll leak if it breaks... our fish might die and the oil might pollute the ocean," Smith added.

Some readers were impressed by those comments.

• "Wow, some elementary school students have more common sense than our government, but is that really a surprise?" - Boogs_saint
  

Others weren't as moved.

• "Well I hope you let your 10- and 12-year-olds make most of your long-term income and spending decisions." - AM>CAN.
• "The indoctrination of the young goes on. Where do they learn this hysteria?From those who we entrust to teach them how to think. Someone should lose their teaching job for this." - wallyj

Thanks, as always, for following our coverage. Feel free to keep the conversation going in the comments.