Sir,

Speaking as someone born in Tenby, but now a Canadian (for the last 50 years), I have to address the article you published in last week's Observer regarding Eleanor Clegg and her protest regarding the 'dirty oil' from Alberta.

Whereas she is entitled to her stand, I would respectfully suggest that she and her 'tree hugging' friends keep quiet until they actually visit the tar sands and see first-hand the stringent regulations that are in place to ensure there is no environmental impact produced by the extraction of the oil.

This last week, Governor Hickenlooper of the State of Colorado, a Democrat and staunch supporter of President Obama's delay in authorising the Keystone pipeline that would pump oil from northern Alberta to the Texas refineries, visited the oil sands to see for himself. He came away a strong supporter of the safety methods in force and the little carbon footprint the extraction of the oil has on the landscape - a lot less that the normal Saudi Arabian extraction process. He has now changed his position on the pipeline and is a strong advocate.

Therefore, Miss Clegg, get your facts straight before you speak.

Terence Halden,

Alberta,

Canada.