This time It IS in
my backyard! Can I practice what I
preach?
Originally published on Triple Pundit - http://www.triplepundit.com/2015/08/time-backyard-can-practice-preach/
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| Looking out from my backyard near the proposed site of a major LNG facility |
Last week a major LNG project was announced for my backyard,
2 ½ miles from my home on Vancouver Island in Canada and right beside where I
love to catch prawns and crabs with my little boat.
Major resource
project. In my backyard.
It is a partnership between an Indigenous Tribe, the Malahat
First Nation and Steelhead LNG of Vancouver. The project is a floating LNG platform to
liquefy natural gas for export to global markets. It is planned for Indigenous
owned land just down the shore from my home of nearly 20 years. See project
description here. On the surface it seems an ideal example of
an Indigenous/non-indigenous business partnership; strategic and impactful.
But, for me, suddenly I am not the ‘international expert’
but one of the ‘local stakeholders’. And
already I am being bombarded with outrageous ‘facts’ seeking to ensure I oppose
the project. It is different, but
somehow still the same.
Here is what I know (or don’t know, as the case may be).
Certainty? Are you
kidding? Despite the claims and
the certainty of opponents and proponents, we don’t know the social,
environmental or even economic impacts with any degree of certainty. They will
become known as things move forward. An
informed, vigorous and comprehensive discussion is necessary in order to know
if this project makes social, economic and environmental sense.
The Malahat Tribe is
economically marginalized and deserves better. The Status Quo is not fair. Surrounded by non-indigenous people who are
relatively comfortable economically, the Malahat First Nation has 80%
unemployment and has somehow been excluded from much of the economic opportunity
that has occurred around them over the past 100 years.
The Malahat Nation created a huge socio-economic development
opportunity for themselves, they deserve a chance to see if it can be developed
in an acceptable way.
Steelhead LNG is
impressive. For some time I’ve
admired how Steelhead has engaged and consulted First Nations and developed
collaborative partnerships and mechanisms for ensuring local benefit and value
from Steelhead’s LNG projects.
Not just sideshow value, but meaningful upside participation
and long-term value creation. It is
impressive. They have integrated
Corporate Social Responsibility into their core business strategy. I was so impressed that I have had
Steelhead’s CEO address one of my Corporate Social Responsibility programs.
Opposition helps make
the project better. No project comes
out of the gate without room for improvement.
The probes, queries and analysis of investors makes the financial and
business model stronger.
Similarly, social and environmental opponents and criticism
help to identify opportunities to improve social impacts and environmental
performance.
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| My son picking out a small octopus as he helps with the prawn catch |
Viability. There is no way the project should proceed if
it can’t demonstrate financial, social and environmental viability and risk
management. Fortunately our system has
processes (financial markets and regulatory structures) that force
demonstration of viability and risk management.
Straight truths are
rare. Hyperbole, balderdash and pure
bullsh*t are more common. From
opponents and proponents.
This project won’t solve all the social and economic woes of
the Malahat Tribe (nobody has said directly that it will). It also won’t, as the Anti-everything crowd so quickly claimed, bring Fracking to
Vancouver Island or make Saanich Inlet bathtub warm.
We need discussion informed by truths. No single project will solve decades of
economic marginalization. Fracking happens at the drill hole, not where gas is
liquefied. And, I’m sure science can
find a better use for the heat energy by-product of liquefaction than warming
up Saanich Inlet.
We can’t afford to get it wrong. The
process needs to work and inform how/if we can develop it safely. We can’t afford mistakes.
We need it to be the best it can be.
We can’t afford mistakes environmentally (I want my grandchildren and
their grandchildren to be able to catch prawns and enjoy the Saanich
Inlet). We can’t afford mistakes economically.
We don’t know. So relax.
At this stage we have very few facts and know little. Too much certainty is a sign of a closed mind
and swallowing (or promoting) misinformation. We have a regulatory process that
is quite good. A lot better than what
many countries have.
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| Getting ready to head out to lift prawn traps near the proposed LNG project site. |
Only with an informed, vigorous and comprehensive debate
will we learn if this project makes social, environmental and economic sense.
I know I plan to try and stay as curious, as engaged, as
open as possible, and to be as wary as possible of the questionable ‘facts’
that will undoubtedly flow from those who enter the process with closed minds
and unmovable positions.
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Wayne Dunn is
President & Founder, CSR Training Institute and Professor
of Practice in Corporate Social Responsibility, McGill University. He has worked on nearly 100 projects spanning
the globe and industry sectors.
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