LandKeepers News Archive
B.C. LIBERALS PUSH TARSANDS PIPELINE ON ANNIVERSARY OF EXXON DISASTER
March 23 2010 | News Articles | Prince Rupert Daily News
Premier dismisses widespread opposition by First Nations and local businesses
By George Baker, Daily News Prince Rupert
VICTORIA- On the 21st anniversary of the catastrophic Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska, the B.C. Liberal premier expressed support for a pipeline that would see 525,000 barrels per day of Alberta Tar Sands oil shipped in supertankers along the coast – threatening the Great Bear rainforest and putting wild salmon, killer whales and 150 other species at risk.
“The B.C. Liberal premier torched his environmental credibility and cast aside his so-called new relationship with First Nations in a single afternoon,” said New Democrat environment critic Rob Fleming. “Building the Enbridge pipeline would result in 6.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year – the equivalent of 1.6 million more cars on the road.
“The only green that the B.C. Liberals care about is in the pockets of their friends and donors; it’s clear that First Nations and the environment come last with this government.”
Every coastal First Nations government, along with the majority of First Nations along the proposed pipeline route held a press conference today where they delivered a clear message of opposition to the Enbridge pipeline, saying “oil tankers carrying crude oil from the Alberta Tar Sands will not be allowed to transit our lands and waters.”
“28 First Nations bands and councils, many of them in my constituency, have said no to this project,” said North Coast MLA Gary Coons. “The B.C. Liberals buried any hope of a new relationship with First Nations when the premier stood up and willfully ignored the fact that affected First Nations fully oppose the Enbridge Tar Sands pipeline. No amount of ‘consultation’ is going to change their minds.”
Yesterday, a scientific study was released showing that killer whales are in danger of going extinct if the Enbridge Tar Sands pipeline is allowed to go ahead. According to the report, which was compiled by 12 scientists over 5 years, it would only take one significant spill to put the survival of up to 150 species at risk.
Enbridge has donated almost $50,000 to the B.C. Liberals since 2005. Former B.C. Liberal MLA Roger Harris, who was defeated in 2005, is also a vice president of the company.
“Today 45 businesses, many of them located in the northwest, came out against the Tar Sands pipeline. It would only take one oil spill to threaten our wild salmon and destroy our reputation as a destination for wilderness tourism and world class hunting and fishing opportunities,” said Stikine MLA Doug Donaldson. “It’s clear that the B.C. Liberals are more interested in helping out their friends and donors than in doing the right thing for regional economies and the environment.”
Carole James and the New Democrats are fighting for an environmental plan that respects communities, creates green jobs, offers families positive choices and commits to concrete action to protect species at risk.
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