They are the primary funders of the Tea Party in the U.S. They also help fund you folks.
The question I put to you is that nine of your directors who currently sit on the Fraser Institute board are involved in the oil and gas industry. They are also heavy contributors to your foundation. The government has raised its concerns about witnesses in the past to the effect that if they receive money from industry or if they receive money from across the border, that may taint any of their testimony or research in front of this committee. The government has seen that as a problem for anybody who ever raises a concern about the oil and gas industry, but it seems to have no problem with anyone who comes here to defend the oil and gas industry.
I find the lack of questioning by my Conservative colleagues with respect to any potential bias on the part of those who support the oil and gas industry somewhat troubling and a little weak on logic.
Mr. Ingraffea, the general fear raised by the public is with respect to water contamination and then the liability that follows any contamination that happens. We saw recently that Talisman--and this is for Mr. Hoback, who hasn't seen any incidence of spills--recently shut down continent-wide drilling for more than a week. Canbriam Energy is leaking in Quebec right now, and, according to the Quebec minister, “the industry is not in control of the situation”, and I am quoting.
Am I typifying the concerns of the general public correctly, that is that it's both water contamination and supply, and then who's responsible, who's on the hook, if any contamination does occur, once it begins?