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Over 1,500 people rally in Grande Prairie in support of oil and gas industry

Dec 17, 2018 | 4:41 AM

GRANDE PRAIRIE- It was an eventful day at Muskoseepi Park in Grande Prairie on Sunday, as crowds of people began to show up around noon for the Support Oil and Gas Rally. 

The local group who planned the rally says the event was meant to highlight Canada’s oil crisis, and Bill C-69.

Organizers said over a thousand people were in attendance at the rally, which was then followed by a convoy.  

At 1 p.m. the event kicked off with a musical performance by Chance Tomke, and soon after, speeches from representatives of both government and the oil and gas industry were under way.

President of the Grande Prairie Oilmen’s Association, Rob Petrone, was the master of ceremonies, who started off the speeches with some words of his own. 

“It’s up to us to start speaking up and defending our industry,” said Petrone. “The facts are, the world’s demand for all types of energy is increasing. We need hydro, we need wind power, we need it all. The demand on energy is going no where but up, and oil and gas is a major player in that. We need it all, and that’s why we’re here today.”

One of the speakers included Grande Prairie-Mackenzie MP, Chris Warkentin.

“We are not here standing in support of an industry, we’re standing in support of the men and women that work in this industry, that benefit from this industry, and it’s not just here in the Peace Country; It’s across the province of Alberta and it’s across every province in this country. In every single province there are jobs that are dependent on what we do here in the Peace Country. I can tell you that we need to continue to send that message, and I can tell you there are people waking up in every single province of this country that are going to continue to say the same thing that we’re going to start today, and that’s ‘build that pipe,’” said Warkentin.

The speeches continued, with United Conservative Party Leader, Jason Kenney also weighing in on Canada’s oil situation and Bill C-69. 

Other speakers included Deron Bilous, Alberta Minister of Economic Development and Trade and MLA Wayne Drysdale.

Once the speeches concluded, crowds of people made their way to 102 Street to watch the convoy of trucks roll by.

The parade was originally expecting over 200 trucks to participate, but over 600 trucks made their way through Grande Prairie. 

(Everything GP)