The Kinder Morgan TransMountain Pipeline expansion project has caused much controversy amongst both the municipal and federal government. While the National Energy Board (NEB) has approved that work could proceed, the city of Burnaby is adamant about preserving the wildlife that is home to Burnaby Mountain – filing a notice with BC Supreme Court in retaliation.
Political cartoon in retaliation of the unethical motives of the TransMountain Pipeline project. (Source)
If the company continues to be indifferent toward the community and the society we live in, they could suffer from the actions of the government. As a resident of Burnaby, I know that the project expansion would make Burnaby an extremely undesirable area to live in while decreasing property value. Imagine facing the threat of an oil spill on a daily basis! This could devastate BC’s salmon wildlife and other marine animals, along with the pristine condition of BC’s wilderness. As a result, this could also lead to the downfall of the tourism industry, causing many people to lose their jobs. It is disappointing, to say the least, that a company in BC could make irrational decisions for the benefit of themselves and their financial needs.
What will happen to this project? That has yet to be determined.
However, according Freeman’s Stakeholder Theory, unethical companies that neglect their corporate social responsibility and the issues of civil society are destined to be regulated to decline.
Whether that will hold true for Kinder Morgan will soon be revealed as the government announces their final decision, either for or against the company.