Fossil fuel motion withdrawal an opportunity, not a defeat, says Regina environmental group
The executive director of the Regina Public Interest Research Group said she understands why city councillors withdrew a motion that would limit sponsorship by fossil fuel companies, but hopes they continue pushing toward renewable energy use in Regina.
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Posted: Jan 29, 2021 5:00 AM CT | Last Updated: January 29
In 2018, the former city council adopted a motion to move towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Two environmental groups say they hope the current council continues on that work, even after backlash about a fossil fuel sponsorship motion. (Kirk Fraser/CBC)
The executive committee’s function is essentially the entire city council hashing out policy before finalizing and voting to implement those policies as a council. It is made up of the entire council. At question was a recommendation to council for a sponsorship, naming rights and advertising policy. An amendment to that policy was moved by Councillor Dan LeBlanc. As amended, the recommended policy stated, “The City will not solicit nor accept sponsorship or advertising from companies or organizations … whose business is principally derived from the sale or production of fossil fuels,” according to the minutes of the Jan. 20 meeting. That amendment carried 7-4.
The executive committee’s function is essentially the entire city council hashing out policy before finalizing and voting to implement those policies as a council. It is made up of the entire council. At question was a recommendation to council for a sponsorship, naming rights and advertising policy. An amendment to that policy was moved by Councillor Dan LeBlanc. As amended, the recommended policy stated, “The City will not solicit nor accept sponsorship or advertising from companies or organizations … whose business is principally derived from the sale or production of fossil fuels,” according to the minutes of the Jan. 20 meeting. That amendment carried 7-4.
Mayor Sandra Masters, far right, said she is not supporting the ban.(Matt Duguid/CBC)
LeBlanc further compared taking sponsorship money from oil and gas companies to the likes of naming a building after a pack of smokes or cannabis companies. We can not allow that to happen with fossil fuel companies, whose financial interest is to push the continued use of carbon-heavy technologies, carbon-heavy fuel sources. We need to distance ourselves from that and not allow them to gain legitimacy through their association with us, LeBlanc said.
Concerns of penalizing oil and gas workers
Mayor Sandra Masters, who voted against LeBlanc s motion, said she was having a hard time comparing Shell with sex work.