Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

NDP grill Tories over Suncor’s operations in Syria

OTTAWA—New Democrats want to know why Ottawa’s sanctions against Syria allow Canadian energy giant Suncor to continue operating a $1.2 billion production facility in that country in partnership with a Syrian government-owned company.

Hélène Laverdière, the NDP foreign affairs critic, told the Commons Monday Canadian sanctions against Syria in October were supposed to send a strong message to President Bashar Assad’s regime but didn’t affect Suncor’s activities in that country.

“Will the government make sure that the new sanctions against Syria will stop their friends from doing business . . . while thousands of civilians are being killed,” she asked in question period.

Conservative MP Bob Dechert, parliamentary secretary to the minister of foreign affairs, said Canada “has taken decisive action by imposing sanctions that directly target members of the current Syrian regime and those who provide it with support.

“We are currently working with our allies to bring diplomatic pressure to bear,” Dechert added. “We will be bringing forth further stronger economic sanctions.”

Defence Minister Peter MacKay suggested on the weekend that Canada would consider more sanctions against Syria, where an estimated 3,000 people have been killed since the beginning of the anti-Assad uprising last spring. But the Harper government has not spelled out what extra sanctions it would clamp on Syria.

“If you want to have real sanctions that work, you have to do it where it hurts,” Laverdière told reporters, when asked if Suncor should be blocked from operating in Syria. “We have to put our money where our mouth is and show we are serious.”

Kelli Stevens, a spokesperson for Calgary-based Suncor, told the Toronto Star, “We’re currently in compliance with all the relevant sanctions and it would be our intention to remain that way.”

In October, the Canadian government froze assets of members of the Assad regime and banned the purchase or transportation of petroleum products from Syria. However, the sanctions excluded natural gas.

In 2010, Suncor began production of natural gas from a $1.2 billion operation in the Ebla gas fields in central Syria, a project jointly operated with Syria’s government-owned petroleum firm.

Because of security concerns, Suncor does not say how many Canadians are working at Ebla, about 275 kilometres northeast of Damascus.

Suncor has said repeatedly that it is seeking to balance its corporate social responsibilities in Syria with its commercial activities.

“Current sanctions do not impact the production and sale of natural gas from the Ebla project, which is not exported, but which helps meet the domestic energy supply,” the company states on its website.

The project provides electricity for about 10 per cent of Syrian homes.

Suncor “recognizes the concerns that exist about ongoing events in Syria. Suncor continues to carefully monitor the unrest and is taking all necessary precautions for the safety of our people,” according to the statement.

The company says it “believes that, by employing local Syrian staff, developing Syrian capability and producing natural gas to generate electricity for domestic consumption, the company can be a positive contributor in Syria, provided the work can be done responsibly.”

Asked Monday if Suncor is worried about losing its investment as political conditions in Syria deteriorate, Stevens said, “Our top priority and concern right now is around safety, security and maintaining responsible operations.” The company has enough precautions in place to operate “safely and responsibly” in Syria. “If that changed, then we’d certainly have to take different actions,” she said.

Origin
Source: Toronto Star 

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