FFWD Weekly
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City by Tom Babin As the massive World Petroleum Congress (WPC) nears and the media sparring match between city cops and those planning to protest the meetings continues, there seems to be one very large group being left out of the debate: everyday Calgarians. With protesters preaching non-violence at every opportunity, and police reassuring the public they are in control, most of the population is left to quietly assess the situation for themselves. Many people are spooked by violent images from WTO protests in Seattle and World Bank opposition in Washington earlier this year – one famous downtown landmark even phoned the offices of Fast Forward last week to ask for a newspaper box to be relocated for fear it would be hurled through street-level windows if the protests get violent. The thought of riot police securing the front doors of Talisman Energy is chilling for most workers in Calgary's quiet downtown core, and though few will speak out loud, at least one oil company worker in the city says tension in the office has grown as the event nears, based mostly on the fact that no one knows what to expect. Though he didn't want his name to be used, the worker says a lot of people in his office are genuinely concerned for their safety during the congress, and others are torn between their jobs and recognizing that the protests are against some serious ongoing problems in their own industry. Understandably, both protesters and police are decidedly tight-lipped about the whole affair, but oil companies and organizers of the congress have taken the same approach. A spokesperson for the WPC downplayed their preparations for protests, and says they haven't addressed the issue with sponsors or local representatives. Cathy Nickel, assistant manager of marketing and communications for the WPC, says organizers of the congress have given no information to local companies about what to expect and how to peacefully deal with protesters, or even discussed the issues of contention. "There are no secrets here. You're talking about the protests, and they are certainly a matter of public awareness, (but) the Calgary Police Service is handling all the security arrangements for us," she says . "They're the experts." Oil companies haven't taken much more initiative with their employees or the public. All of the oil companies reached for this story stated only that they aren't planning to do things much differently during the June 11 to 15 event. PanCanadian Petroleum's Alan Boras says between now and the congress, there will be some employee communication, mostly regarding the event itself and what PanCanadian is doing. "With respect to alleviating concerns, I think there will be discussions about the kinds of things that we're likely to see, maybe if there is some modest security changes, but I'm not aware of anybody – although I haven't necessarily asked – but I'm not aware of people expressing extraordinary concerns. "We are cognizant of the opportunities and the potential for (protests) and... we'll keep that in mind when the WPC takes place. We'll probably make some security modifications that would be the kind of things we would have employed during the Olympics." A spokesperson from Shell Canada echoed Boras's sentiments, saying she didn't know much about preparations for the congress, or if the company plans to address the issue with its employees. However, with so many people connected in some way to the oil industry in Calgary, and with so much media attention lavished on police preparations, there are likely thousands of people who have thought about the upcoming congress and the implications of the protests. Protest organizer Grant Neufeld says Calgarians have nothing to fear from the protesters. "A lot of protesters have gone through extensive non-violence training ... we're all very dedicated to the idea of promoting peace and eradicating violence and bringing an end to the harm the oil industry causes. We're not out to cause harm of commit acts of violence, that's what we're here to prevent," he adds. Neufeld is happy the thought of protests has generated some discussion around the water coolers of Calgary oil companies. He says that means protesters are succeeding in their goal of raising awareness about the issues surrounding the oil industry, and they are getting people in the hub of Canada’s petroleum industry to think about the consequences of their actions. He suggests that people inside the oil industry should use the opportunity to push their companies to act more responsibly, and work to eliminate things like environmental damage, Third World exploitation and the stifling of renewable energy sources. "As the people who benefit most from the oil industry, we have a special responsibility to go out of our way to ensure the industry acts responsibly. The protesters aren't going to be the ones making the changes, we're certainly trying to raise awareness so that change can happen ... but the reality is those corporations are the ones who have to change," Neufeld says. Police and protesters still refuse to speculate on what the outcome of the congress may be, or how many people may take to the streets. While that may leave the average Calgarian in the cold, they may generate some warmth from knowing that this may be one of the few times the city will take a long, critical look at the industry it is built upon.

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