Alberta pipeline safety report another case of the ol’ bait and switch

We need evidence-based decision-making, not decision-based evidence making

CALGARY, AB, Sep 2, 2013/ Troy Media/ – When it comes to pipeline safety, there’s no place like Alberta.

Last week Alberta Energy Minister Ken Hughes released a comprehensive review of pipeline safety. The review, authored by Group 10 Engineering, was ordered by the government after a number of pipeline incidents in the province, including a spill of 3,000 barrels of crude into the Red Deer River.

The somewhat misnamed Alberta Pipeline Safety Review didn’t actually review pipeline safety in Alberta. It didn’t even review the strength of the pipeline regulations in the province, a point missed by most critics. Rather, it compared pipeline regulations in Alberta against those of other jurisdictions. It ignored whether any of the regulations were effective. This is classic lying with statistics – measure one thing, draw conclusions about another. <Read Full Article>