Good morning Honourable Senators. It is my pleasure to be talking to you from Calgary this morning by video conference. Our National office is situated in Regina, Saskatchewan, but I am in Calgary on personal business right now.

The Canadian Association of Energy and Pipeline Landowner Associations (“CAEPLA”, formerly “CAPLA”), is an association made up of regional member landowner groups from New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and associate members from across Canada, coast to coast.

CAEPLA’s objective is to assist Canadian pipeline landowners to address more effectively the impacts of energy pipeline construction and operations which affect landowner interests, including soil preservation, environmental liability, land use restrictions, safety, repair and maintenance issues, abandonment and compensation. CAEPLA is a catalyst for the organization of pipeline landowner associations by providing organizational advice, advocacy and negotiation experience and services. It is also CAEPLA’s intention to address landowner concerns with respect to present pipeline regulation in Canada with appropriate government and regulatory authorities.

Investment site pans Keystone XL pipeline

Popular investment site Motley Fool is asking “how safe will the KeystoneXL pipeline really be?”

What they are really asking is how good an investment bet is TransCanada in light of the controversial proposed pipeline project?

Based on evidence from credible critics the article concludes that the answer to the question is “not very.”  Meaning leaks are likely, which not only impacts taxpayers and landowners, but hapless investors as well.

An excerpt from a recent report of the National Transportation Safety Board paints a picture of the surprising goings-on in the Enbridge Edmonton Control Centre while Line 6B was spewing oil into the Kalamazoo River system:

Operator B2 said he has never seen this problem before and that it was interesting. Operator B2 stated that the situation looked liked a leak, and Operator B1 stated that they could pump as much as they wanted but could never over pressurize the pipeline. Operator B2 stated that eventually the oil has to go somewhere. Operator B2 said that it seemed as if there was something wrong about the situation. Operator B2 said to Operator B1 'whatever, we're going home and will be off for few days.' Operator B1 stated they were not going to try this again, not on their shift.

Andrew Nikiforuk discusses the report and its findings about Enbridge's operations in this article called: "Spill Crisis: 'Whatever, we're going home'".