So is it me or did anyone else see the BS light come on with the river salmon study statement? Let’s see how that translates to actual English, ” we won’t waste money conducting an impact study until we know we have the ability to cook the results to suit our goal of pushing the pipeline through”. To me it sounds a lot like running to city hall and getting a building permit without submitting the building plans for inspection.

You let us put in our pipeline and we will jimmy our way around your silly little fish issue one way or another. I think it’s time our Premier just flat out says no to these clowns and their pipeline. Any one else could do a better job at getting the pipeline approved but Enbridge has a clear track record for screwing up. So why are we wasting time listening to these jokers, come out and flatly say NO and be done with it. They have burnt there bridges on several occasions with the general public, the aboriginal people and the provincial government. I think they need to hear the word, and we need to move on with other things. Send them packing.

Yup, that about sums it up Professional!

To me, if you haven’t bothered to put in the due diligence required to ensure that the project would meet all environmental requirements BEFORE you get approval (and you can’t do that until you conduct detailed analysis of the environmental systems you may be impacting), you should be SOL. That should be an absolutely mandatory part of the process before approval in granted.

Who in their right mind would allow a project like this to go ahead WITHOUT having that type of research or analysis in place? It could be people who have issues with facts and science.

“Who in their right mind would allow a project like this to go ahead WITHOUT having that type of research or analysis in place? It could be people who have issues with facts and science.”

Harper………..

Canada is a Federation. The pipeline and enviromental approval is the responsibility of the Federal Government.

If the pipeline is approved then BC has no authority to stop it.

The Coastline is a Federal Responsibility.

What would happen if we played the stupid game of **you cant come thru our land**

Would Alberta stop all BC Lumber from travelling through Alberta to the USA. Would they divert all the grain, potash, coal, sulphur, etc; through US Ports.

What about Containers to Eastern Canada and the US. Would Alberta say no Containers from the West Coast are allowed to travel through Alberta.

If the Enbridge meets all the regulatory rules and regulations, and the Federal Government approves the pipeline its a done deal.

You seem to conveniently forget the vast majority of the proposed pipeline route is directly through land that has never been treated away by BCs aboriginals. Harper doesn’t have the title to this land and MUST defer to the appropriate first nations in giving his approval.

This pipeline is dead in the water. And it’s a good thing too because BC cannot afford to put the economy of the region at risk just so Enbridge can make millions.

Palopu you need to read the constitution. There are divisions of powers and the federal government has no power to over ride the constitution.

BC has specific powers under the constitution over things like health, education, and resources which includes the environment. If BC says no in the next provincial election this Gateway pipe dream is dead in the water. If Harper tries to over extend his authority it will get ugly and damage the federation irreparably.

Your hypothetical scenarios are ridiculous and have no place in this debate.

Right on Palopu. I would also add that the JRP is Federal. Others can try to twist it any way they want, but the facts are the facts.

Yes you are right JonnyB, the facts are the facts and it all came out in the US court. Enbridge is not welcome in the neighbourhood and BC will fight to keep them out.

Palopu let’s compare apples to apples non of those things you describe are as dangerous as a tarsands bitumen spill. Last I checked lumber spills don’t contaminate water supplies and kill fish.

“Last I checked lumber spills don’t contaminate water supplies and kill fish.”

Clearcut logging and the activities related certainly have.

Logging is a provincial matter. Decisions are made locally in BC as per the constitution.

Regulating Northern Gateway would be no different. That is why it will never happen.

Harper does not have the explicit right to over ride provincial powers in the constitution no matter how much blackmail he tries to arrange on his side (ie changes to the federal environmental regulations and Chinese investment rights to sue based on those regulations).