NDP Express Disappointment in JRP Decision
Prince George, B.C. – Reaction to the decision by the Joint Review Panel on Northern Gateway continues to pour in.
Provincial New Democrat Party leader Adrian Dix, said he is very disappointed with the decision from the Joint Review Panel on Northern Gateway which approved the project, subject to 209 conditions.
He says British Columbians spoke very clearly on this subject, saying nearly all of the oral presentations made to the JRP in BC expressed opposition to the proposal “British Columbia clearly doesn’t think Northern Gateway is in our economic or environmental interests, it is not in the public interests, and British Columbia’s voice needs to be heard now.”
"The fact is, Enbridge-Northern Gateway, is not, and will not be supported in British Columbia” adds Dix. He vowed his party will “join with those opposed to Enbridge –Northern Gateway to continue the fight”.
Skeena-Bulkley MP Nathan Cullen (Federal NDP) describes the decision by the Joint Review Panel as “Incredibly disappointing, but not surprising”.
Cullen says he is most disappointed that the JRP didn’t listen to British Columbians “Somehow, ignoring the nearly ten thousand submissions from British Columbians who virtually 100% of them said no, the risks far outweigh the benefits of this project. 71 First Nations groups right across BC, and B.C municipalities have all said this project is not good for British Columbia.”
Cullen says he is concerned there is still no marine spill plan in place, and the costs involved are high “The project has now ballooned in price to nearly $8 billion dollars and the Panel estimates the clean up in an ocean environment would cost nearly $10 billion dollars so the numbers are huge, the risks are greatly outweighing the benefits and more and more this is a case that’s going to move to the next stage which will be the courts. First Nations are preparing for that legal argument which is a very sound and strong case to be made.”
Comments
Earth first we will drill for oil on the other planets later…let it flow$$$$$$
Doesn’t matter what the NDP thinks about anything.
Sure did cost a lot of money to say yes on this. I don’t think the U.S. would be happy to wait seven years to build the Alaska Highway these days if they wanted to start tomorrow.
NDP..? I Heard they ran in the last election or something..
BDP better check the facts on what they say. Several first nation groups already have signed agreements with Northern Gateway. I was at several of the JRP hearings and heard some people speak in favour of it. The ones that I heard speak were the “not in my backyard” Types.
Want the benefits of oil & gas but don’t want a pipeline.
I hope that guy gets the OK for a BC refinery.
What’s next? Is the Green Party going to weigh in? (Spoiler alert: They won’t be pleased).
I’m not against pipelines but I am 100% anti sucking the natural resources – that belong to every Canadian present and future – out of the ground and shipping it offshore with the least possible investment. If the economics don’t support refineries in Canada today, leave it in the ground until they do. Piping bitumen to China is exactly the same as raw log exports.
Refinery being built north of Edmonton.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/canadas-first-new-refinery-in-decades-breaks-ground/article14426102/
“Piping bitumen to China is exactly the same as raw log exports”
I think it’s actually worse Furbink. At least with raw logs if a truck dumps a load or a ship runs aground, the environmental impact is negligible.
I tend to agree with your post. Potential environmental issues aside, I don’t know why we are so stuck on getting the lowest possible value from our natural resources.
Why are Canadians so obtuse when it comes to this stuff? Are we really that inept at building a diversified economy? Is our vision lacking so much that we don’t see how we could use these resources to develop our own country and our own economy more effectively?
We must be the laughing stock of the world when it comes to this stuff. Of course, they won’t laugh in public. They’ll laugh all the way to the bank when they get our resources, use them to maximize their own economies and then make up dependant on the stuff they eventually ship to us.
We really are stupid.
NMG…your post is almost word for word what a teacher told me in about 1981. It was true then and it is true now.
They say it will create alot of employment.I think they are referring to an oil spill cleanup,bring on the temp f.workers we don’t know how to do long wall cleanup.
absolutely agree with Furbink and NMG.
A very sad day for BC and Canada – but it is all about greed and the politicans do not care, what the poplulation wants.
Thumbs up to Furbink, NMG and suzir.
Only now is it becoming so obvious to some that our Federal Government is no longer a government of the “People”… it is a government for the Multi-National Oil & Gas Corporations.
What do these International Oil Corporations care about shipping “their” products overseas in it raw form. They just want to get it to “their” refinery facilities in China operated by the cheapest of Chinese labour!
At : northman said, “NDP? I Heard they ran in the last election or something”.
That was a rumour you heard, nothing was mentioned in the press and you never read or researched their policies. Maybe next time.
I am not a happy camper on this one. When the spills start happening, (and they definately will), none of us will get much satisfaction from being able to say “I told you so” !!
What fools and sheep we truly are.
NMG you’re right — we must be the laughing stock of the entire business world.
So people#1 you would rather have the country run by non elected mega rich environmental groups. Harper got the majority
Oh by the way big green also take money from big oil. You would know that if you had bothered to read one of my earlier links. Sorry to burst your bubble but its all about money and politics on both sides not the environment.
This project if built will be the most scrutinized pipeline on the planet. Don’t compare it to the 50 year old pipeline in Michigan.
NMG, you clearly need help in your understanding of economics.
Being against the pipelines is that not one of the main reasons the NDP lost a big lead in the elections. They are against jobs.
So does Lehman Bros, so does Goldman Sachs, so does, etc….
“Several first nation groups already have signed agreements with Northern Gateway” .. But don’t forget to mention those first nations were last minute additions to the corridor to make it look like some bands were on side. They happen to be so far outside the actual pipeline area that a spill won’t affect their lands. How many coastal native groups signed on? None, THAT is the reality. How many native groups signed on that the pipeline actually goes through? None, THAT is the reality.
As for the economics of the pipeline, explain to me how a project that is projected to put 1.2 billion into the BC economy over its 30 year span (best case scenario) is economically sound when 1 minor spill could cost 2.4 billion to clean up because of the remoteness and waterways involved? There goes our profits….poooof. Enbridge won’t carry a bond or insurance that will cover that amount.
You got that right seamutt. From reading this article they’ve finally come out of the closet with their disdain for the working man
So all you people who say the NDP are against jobs and the “working man” are the same people who during the election seem to knock them for getting support from the unions. And I thought the unions were for the “working man”. So which is it? Are they for labour or against labour? Don’t kid yourself into thinking that being against northern gateway is being against jobs because I don’t think pg is going to see too many opportunities with this project. If they hope to gain any support from first nations you can bet they will be front and center when it comes to jobs available. Any skilled work will come through the parent company out of alberta and probably from overseas. There may be the very few here in town who will realize a modest income from it, but those people are just being hypocrites if they are saying it is good for BC and Canada. What they are really saying is, it is good for ME.
Comments for this article are closed.