The owners and employees of Jerry Mainil Ltd. have been fighting for the oil and gas industry in southeast Saskatchewan, and will be continuing that fight as they carry on with the business started 58 years ago by Jerry Mainil.
His sons, Dale and Dennis, and son-in-law Calvin Tracey, are the current ownership group of the oil service company, and they have been heavily involved in every effort to support the industry during the ongoing downturn.
They were involved in the organizing of the convoy to Ottawa to protest the carbon tax and to support the building of more pipelines, and more recently, were also involved in the huge convoy to Regina to the Rally Against the Carbon Tax.
鈥淲ould we do it again? Sure we would,鈥� said Dale, who then agreed with Calvin that they were very disappointed that the national media was very clearly biased against the oil industry in both of these events, with very little coverage at all of the convoy to Regina, said to be one of the biggest ever in the world.
Not only does the oil industry here operate under high standards and strict environmental laws, the oil companies in western Canada have been very innovative.
鈥淚n innovation and technology, we鈥檙e industry leaders in Canada,鈥� said Dennis, pointing to the carbon capture technology developed here in Saskatchewan as a primary example of something that has a great benefit to the environment and the industry itself.
鈥淲e want to be good stewards of the land, which we are. We already lead the world in environmental regulations and standards,鈥� added Dale, pointing out that this whole debate over the environment is causing a division in Canada that is hurting a lot of people.
鈥淯ntil we see a change in government, it鈥檚 going to be very tough for our industry to get anything,鈥� he said.
The result is, with the inability to get pipelines built here, is 鈥渃ompanies are leaving Canada and taking their investment dollars with them,鈥� said Calvin.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been through this before, with Justin鈥檚 father and the National Energy Program,鈥� said Dale, adding that his father started their business up and stayed positive through all of the downturns and challenges. 鈥淲e鈥檙e all in this together.鈥�
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we participated in the convoy. There are a lot of people employed here. We鈥檙e taking care of the people we employ,鈥� added Calvin.
Dennis agreed, saying, 鈥淲e look after Weyburn, Estevan and southeast Saskatchewan. We鈥檝e met a lot of people you wouldn鈥檛 hook up with otherwise, so there鈥檚 a lot of people who care and want to keep it going.鈥�
Asked if the current price of oil is helpful to keeping activity going in the industry, Dale replied, 鈥淚f we had a friendly federal government, $60 (a barrel) is a good incentive for some activity.鈥�
Eastern Canada needs to be educated about the importance of the oil industry, added Dennis, such as how the oil-producing provinces have contributed greatly in equalization payments to the eastern provinces to help sustain them.
Dale commented there is 鈥渁 lack of leadership鈥� in Ottawa which has resulted in Canada bringing in 800,000 barrels a day of Saudi oil to the East Coast rather than allowing Western Canadian oil to supply their needs safely. He pointed out that the environmental and labour standards in Saudi Arabia are far less stringent and tough than Canada鈥檚, yet they are being supported by buying their oil, along with some 37 per cent of domestic use oil being brought in from the U.S.
鈥淚t鈥檚 frustrating when you let politics interfere. They use the environment as an excuse,鈥� said Dale.
鈥淥ur goal is to continue doing what we have been doing for 58 years. We鈥檙e staying the course,鈥� he added.
Calvin said a lot of their staff have been with them for a long time, even through the downturn, and they have been able to keep many of those staff on. 鈥淚t鈥檚 what we do, it鈥檚 what we know,鈥� he said.
Dale noted that his father started their business in 1961 and they are now in their 58th year, so they have come through many circumstances, and ups and downs over the years. He, Dennis and Calvin took over the ownership of the company in 1992.
Jerry Mainil will be honoured this year as one of the 鈥淟egends鈥� of the southeast oil industry at this year鈥檚 Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Show.
Dale noted that his father was the very first 麻豆传媒AVeast Oilman of the Year at the Oil Show, and had also been inducted to the industry Hall of Fame.
鈥淗e believes in Saskatchewan, and he knows one thing: work,鈥� said Dale, adding that one key lesson he鈥檚 learned from his dad is that it takes a total team effort for a business to succeed in this industry.
鈥淲e still have to make our voices heard and be consistent. I鈥檓 not going to be negative about it. Our goals are right and noble,鈥� said Dale. 鈥淲e鈥檙e proud of Weyburn, and we鈥檙e proud of our industry. It鈥檚 events like the Oil Show that give us a chance to promote it.鈥�
