LandKeepers News Archive
The Battle
April 13 2010 | News ArticlesPipeline News | The Terrace Standard
PERSONABLE, empathetic, very smart and with three election wins, NDP Member of Parliament Nathan Cullen has pretty much cemented himself in as the representative for Skeena – Bulkley Valley.
One of the reasons is his ability to put together a coalition of people who share one thing – the need to make a living in a decidedly economically have-not region of the country.
From the small businessperson to the student, it’s all about jobs. So far Mr. Cullen’s coalition has been able to agree that these jobs should at least have a green hue when it comes to being environmentally friendly. Just as important is the need for an aboriginal buy-in to major economic development proposals.
Mr. Cullen’s coalition has yet to face a real test until now. He’s completely opposed to Enbridge’s $4.5 billion Northern Gateway pipeline plan to ship Alberta oil to a marine export terminal at Kitimat.
The number of jobs doesn’t come close to balancing the environmental risk, Mr. Cullen believes. He’s even added a Winston Churchill touch with the quote of the year: “The battle is upon us.”
So far it’s hard to gauge the actual level of support or opposition to Enbridge. But Mr. Cullen has now provided a way to do just that. The next federal election will be right in the middle of Enbridge’s environmental review. It means the vote will be as much about the pipeline as it will be about electing a MP.
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