Dilemma: Supporting the Calgary Flames after Mount Polley mine disaster

[thymebalm]

As a life long Calgary Flames fan and a 10-year resident of British Columbia, I awoke this morning with a serious dilemma.

If you aren't aware, there was a major tailings pond breach at the Mount Polley mine in central BC last Monday, where 5Million+ cubic metres of toxic sludge and wastewater broke free and flooded the surrounding area. This is the biggest disaster of its kind in Canadian history, and just happens to be affecting an area where the Salmon are running towards at this very moment.

We have no idea what the total environmental fallout from this disaster will be, and it will likely be decades before we do. What we do know is that Imperial Metals failed. Whether they knew the tailings pond was going to break and did nothing to prevent it, or they lacked the information necessary to know that it was bound to burst.. either way the negligence of Imperial Metals caused this disaster. And my heart weeps.

If you haven't heard about the spill you can check out http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/britis...arge-1.2732314 or one of the 100s of articles now circling the web on this disaster.

It was this article though, that really put a knot in my stomach: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Maj...715/story.html

In this article it reveals that Calgary Flames owner Murray Edwards is also the controlling shareholder for Imperial Metals. Not only is he the controlling shareholder for the company responsible for destroying a part of the province I call home and leaving hundreds without drinking water, but he is heavily investing the in the political groups which are expanding the practices of these mines.

So there is my problem...
How can I continue to support the Calgary Flames with my time and money when Murray Edwards is taking that money and destroying my homeland with it?

Do you think Murray Edwards needs to apologize to Canadians for this disaster?

How does it make you feel to know that Edwards' money contributed to the biggest tailing ponds breach in Canadian history leaving fellow Canadians without drinking water or ability to fish the salmon they live off of?

For the record I don't see how an apology removes all the chemical debris from the lakes and rivers.. but acknowledging fault is the first step towards a remedy.

Thanks for giving me a listen, I really need to talk to someone about this.

[ignite09]

First off, the shot at Albertans is unnecessary, lot's of us actually do give a ####. Secondly, I don't see why it would be hard for you to still support the Flames. The team had nothing to with the disaster, it's a single owner that is involved in the situation. Trust me, you wouldn't be the first fan of a sports franchise that hated the owner. Making the Flames wear it is silly.

[Evil.totoro]

While the situation over there really does suck, leave politics out of sport man. I cheer for the players and the staff who run the team, not the owners.

[Kipper is King]

Originally Posted by thymebalm

So there is my problem...and I'm half expecting it fall on deaf ears as Albertans seem to have some kind of rigorous anti-environmental training that leaves them unable to feel for the planet even as its being destroyed in front of them.

Well...insulting people is not a great move if you're expecting empathy, I gotta say.

I do care about the environment. Many Albertans do. I also support the oil and gas industry as it is a really critical part of the economy and daily life of all Canadians. The device you just wrote this post on wouldn't exist if it wasn't for the hydrocarbon industry.

I hope the cleanup goes as well as possible.

[CliffFletcher]

You don't have to spend money to follow a hockey team. Just watch games on your regular cable package. You don't need to buy jerseys, attend games, watch pay-per-view, or any of the rest of that stuff.

[Ashasx]

So you're going to stop supporting individuals like Mark Giordano or Brian Burke (individuals who do a ton to help the community) or whomever else because of a fault by Edwards' company?

I think you should ask yourself why you've supported the Flames in the first place. If it's not because of the owners, I think it'd be odd to stop being a fan because of something like this.

[thymebalm]

Originally Posted by ignite09

First off, the shot at Albertans is unnecessary, lot's of us actually do give a ####. Secondly, I don't see why it would be hard for you to still support the Flames. The team had nothing to with the disaster, it's a single owner that is involved in the situation. Trust me, you wouldn't be the first fan of a sports franchise that hated the owner. Making the Flames wear it is silly.

On the Albertan dig, I'm an Albertan, and I'm summing up my experiences trying to talk environment with other Albertans (my parents included) in the past.

I do not extend this blanket statement onto anyone who I haven't heard from yet, but I'm being honest in my expectations based on the context I have.

I'm super happy to hear that you care about the environment.

It will be hard for me to financially support an organization with ties to another organization that has done something I condemn. Money is my vote, and money going to Edwards means I support Edwards. And right now, I don't support him.

edit: as I removed this line from the OP, I thought it should still be somewhere so people aren't all like "what did he say about Alberta!?"

and I'm half expecting it fall on deaf ears as Albertans seem to have some kind of rigorous anti-environmental training that leaves them unable to feel for the planet even as its being destroyed in front of them.

[zuluking]

This thread reminds me of Edmonton...

[Savvy27]

I think that it is fair that you are upset with Murray Edwards and that his response to the disaster ought to be monitored and criticized if it is insufficient. However, I do not think that you should abandon the team. There are so many people involved in the Flames that are completely disconnected from Imperial Metal. Bob Hartley, Craig Conroy, Mark Giordano, Mikael Backlund, Brian Burke, and so on... have no connection to that company other than through some very weak corporate relationship.

On the other hand, if you started supporting the team because you were a fan of Murray Edwards, then I would understand wanting to distance yourself from supporting him. In this case though it seems that your just punishing yourself and hoping he feels it.

Also, I'm sorry to hear about what happened there. That's awful and I hope that the water is made safe again and soon.

[thymebalm]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

So you're going to stop supporting individuals like Mark Giordano or Brian Burke (individuals who do a ton to help the community) or whomever else because of a fault by Edwards' company?

I think you should ask yourself why you've supported the Flames in the first place. If it's not because of the owners, I think it'd be odd to stop being a fan because of something like this.

As a child I supported the Flames because I wanted heroes, because I loved hockey, because I was proud of where I was from.

But I'm an adult now. I see the world for what it really is. I'm not so proud of where I'm from anymore, and I don't need a hero. I love hockey, but I love the beautiful planet more than I love the game. If the people who prop up entertainment on one side of the rockies to it by destroying the other side of it, then I have a problem with that.

It's easy to say, "Murrary Edwards wasn't the reason you started watching the Flames". Of course he wasn't. It was Theo Fleury and Lanny MacDonald and Gary Roberts.

But that doesn't mean Murray Edwards can't be the reason I find myself unable to support the team anymore.

That's where I'm at.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Of all the consumer choices you make in your day-to-day life, deciding which sports team you support is probably the one with the absolute smallest possible impact on this issue.

If you were looking for a scapegoat option, which would allow you to appease your righteous indignation, without actually changing anything in your life, this would definitely be the direction to go.

If you really want to ramp it up and go whole-hog on this issue, you can click the "Like" button on a Facebook petition.

Because sometimes we have to make sacrifices to protect the Earth.

[undercoverbrother]

Can we blame Chris Butler for this as well?

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

Of all the consumer choices you make in your day-to-day life, deciding which sports team you support is probably the one with the absolute smallest possible impact on this issue.

If you were looking for a scapegoat option, which would allow you to appease your righteous indignation, without actually changing anything in your life, this would definitely be the direction to go.

If you really want to ramp it up and go whole-hog on this issue, you can click the "Like" button on a Facebook petition.

Because sometimes we have to make sacrifices to protect the Earth.

#bareminimumenvironmentalist

[kyuss275]

I live in BC and hate what happened. That said I still support the flames because as others have said its not the players or management that had a hand in this. Also if you probably dug deep enough into most owners of sports teams they would all have a black mark somewhere.

[trumpethead]

Originally Posted by thymebalm

Do you think Murray Edwards needs to apologize to Canadians for this disaster?

How does this make it better? Do you think Murray Edwards need to apologize to flames fans for finishing out of the playoffs for 4 consecutive seasons?

[thymebalm]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

Of all the consumer choices you make in your day-to-day life, deciding which sports team you support is probably the one with the absolute smallest possible impact on this issue.

If you were looking for a scapegoat option, which would allow you to appease your righteous indignation, without actually changing anything in your life, this would definitely be the direction to go.

If you really want to ramp it up and go whole-hog on this issue, you can click the "Like" button on a Facebook petition.

Because sometimes we have to make sacrifices to protect the Earth.

Why would you assume I just want to gripe and don't want to make any actual sacrifice? If I didn't care, I wouldn't have posted anything at all. But I do care. I do want to make an impact, insignificant as my pockets may allow for, I still want to stand where I feel morally sound in doing so.

I know how easy it is to just make a snarky response like yours. But I want to do something. that's why I posted. Maybe I don't know how to fight back, maybe I don't know the best way to influence things right now. But it least I can be thankful I don't have an attitude like yours. You don't need to #### on my worries man.

[Hackey]

Not surprised at all that your immidiately getting jumped all over by posters. Personally as an Albetan born and raised and someone who worked directly for a Murray Edwards company for nearly 5 years I'm not the least insulted by what you said. I know your not speaking directly to anyone in particular and there definitely are plenty of Albertans who justify what we are doing because it puts money in their bank account. I was one of them and worked with many as well. Not all are bad people. Some ignorant and could care less and some just trying to make a living and still conscious of what we are doing to the planet. I realize it's an issue that hits close to home for you and definitely an issue that doesn't get the support it should. I don't think a boycott of the Flames is the answer but companies should be held much more accountable when their making billions off the land and destroying it for decades at the same time. I know of other situations that never made media and it really is a shame. Unfortunately it seems like money comes before everything else most of the time. I don't have all the answers but pretty sure boycotting the Flames isn't one of them.

[Finger Cookin]

[Headshot]

I use to live near Mount. Polly, in small little villiage named 'Likely' and in fact, my father still does (although he was lucky enough to not be their when it happened).

And this is devastating to not only to the environment; but to the community, a lot of the families in Likely were supported by a member of the family who worked in mount Polly. Makes me sad.

[Beatle17]

Originally Posted by thymebalm

As a child I supported the Flames because I wanted heroes, because I loved hockey, because I was proud of where I was from.

But I'm an adult now. I see the world for what it really is. I'm not so proud of where I'm from anymore, and I don't need a hero. I love hockey, but I love the beautiful planet more than I love the game. If the people who prop up entertainment on one side of the rockies to it by destroying the other side of it, then I have a problem with that.

It's easy to say, "Murrary Edwards wasn't the reason you started watching the Flames". Of course he wasn't. It was Theo Fleury and Lanny MacDonald and Gary Roberts.

But that doesn't mean Murray Edwards can't be the reason I find myself unable to support the team anymore.

That's where I'm at.

Why are you not proud of where you are from? What corporations in Canada spend more on environmental reclamation, inventions and monitoring than any government? Look into that question and then get back about how bad Albertan's and Alberta corporations are?