From an economic standpoint, BC’s economy grew by 2.9% in 2011, the third highest economic growth rate of all the Canadian Provinces. The other main economic metric, BC’s unemployment rate, has been falling steadily since its 2009 high and currently is one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada. Economic concerns are now on the backburner for the majority of British Columbians.

On a more cultural front, BC Tourism’s motto is “Super Natural British Columbia”. The official BC Government guide states that “British Columbians need to protect their environment” Photos from BC Culture Days reveal that multiculturalism and the outdoors are the two largest aspects of BC culture. Our provincial motto is “splendor without diminishment”. There is no doubt that one of the largest concerns British Columbians have relates to the environmental integrity of their province.

In the face of this, it seems absurd that Enbridge continues to promote the economic benefits of its Northern Gateway pipeline as opposed to the environmental safety standards. By focusing their efforts on promoting the jobs and revenue the pipeline will create, Enbridge is displaying a fundamental lack of understanding of what is important to British Columbians. Examples of this on the official Northern Gateway website are rampant, from the primary placement of “Economic Opportunity” prior to “Environmental Responsibility”, to the “New jobs… and a strong economy” tagline inviting people to “Join in the Conversation”. Fifteen out of the twenty most recent “In the Media” listed news articles on the site relate to the economic benefits of the pipeline (A/N: only news articles selected by Enbridge appear on the site). Even the videos uploaded onto the YouTube account controlled by Enbridge mostly relate to the economic benefits of the pipeline rather than demonstrating concern for the environmental impact.

Next to the comments about BC culture, Enbridge’s strategy seems doomed from the start. They are trying to appeal to an economic sympathy that British Columbians simply do not have, and in that light it is entirely unsurprising that the company’s public relations campaigns have so far done little to satisfy concerns and grow a healthy relationship with the BC population. If the BC Government is to approve the pipeline, it needs to see at least a general sense of support from its citizens or else risk a backlash level comparable to that against the HST referendum. Thus, if Enbridge wants the pipeline approved it needs to appeal to those citizens on topics that matter to them. It needs to convey genuine concern for the possible environmental impact, transparency in the risks of the pipeline, competency in dealing with any possible leaks or spills, and a sense of respect for BC wildlife and forests before the population is likely to even consider accepting the project.