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.
“Would we do it again? Sure we would,” 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.
“In innovation and technology, we’re industry leaders in Canada,” 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.
“We want to be good stewards of the land, which we are. We already lead the world in environmental regulations and standards,” added Dale, pointing out that this whole debate over the environment is causing a division in Canada that is hurting a lot of people.
“Until we see a change in government, it’s going to be very tough for our industry to get anything,” he said.
The result is, with the inability to get pipelines built here, is “companies are leaving Canada and taking their investment dollars with them,” said Calvin.
“We’ve been through this before, with Justin’s father and the National Energy Program,” said Dale, adding that his father started their business up and stayed positive through all of the downturns and challenges. “We’re all in this together.”
“That’s why we participated in the convoy. There are a lot of people employed here. We’re taking care of the people we employ,” added Calvin.
Dennis agreed, saying, “We look after Weyburn, Estevan and southeast Saskatchewan. We’ve met a lot of people you wouldn’t hook up with otherwise, so there’s a lot of people who care and want to keep it going.”
Asked if the current price of oil is helpful to keeping activity going in the industry, Dale replied, “If we had a friendly federal government, $60 (a barrel) is a good incentive for some activity.”
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 “a lack of leadership” 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’s, 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.
“It’s frustrating when you let politics interfere. They use the environment as an excuse,” said Dale.
“Our goal is to continue doing what we have been doing for 58 years. We’re staying the course,” 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. “It’s what we do, it’s what we know,” 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 “Legends” of the southeast oil industry at this year’s Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Show.
Dale noted that his father was the very first Southeast Oilman of the Year at the Oil Show, and had also been inducted to the industry Hall of Fame.
“He believes in Saskatchewan, and he knows one thing: work,” said Dale, adding that one key lesson he’s learned from his dad is that it takes a total team effort for a business to succeed in this industry.
“We still have to make our voices heard and be consistent. I’m not going to be negative about it. Our goals are right and noble,” said Dale. “We’re proud of Weyburn, and we’re proud of our industry. It’s events like the Oil Show that give us a chance to promote it.”
