Media Room
For Immediate Release: October 14th, 2010
Vancouver, BC – North Vancouver parents presented local MP Andrew Saxton with a mock pipeline made of postcards from constituents concerned about an Enbridge pipeline and oil tanker project. More than 1,000 North Vancouver residents signed postcards urging Mr. Saxton to support a federally legislated tanker ban for British Columbia’s north coast.
North Vancouver mom Leslie Palleson got involved out of concern for her children’s futures. "BC is one of the few places with such pristine wilderness. We can’t let it become a dumping ground for corporate gain. One oil spill could destroy our clean ocean and all of its wildlife for many generations. This is about protecting our children's future."
After meeting with Palleson and other North Vancouver constituents, Saxton did not commit to support a tanker ban but said he would discuss the issue with the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment.
The federal Liberals and New Democrats have already publically supported banning oil tankers from B.C.’s North Coast. In June, Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff announced their commitment to a legislated tanker ban for Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound. NDP MP Fin Donnelly of New Westminster-Coquitlam has a private members’ bill before Parliament to legislate a tanker ban in BC’s inside coastal waters.
“When 80% of British Columbians of all political stripes oppose tanker traffic, supporting a legislated tanker ban for our ecologically sensitive coast seems like a no-brainer,” said Nikki Skuce, Senior Energy Campaigner with ForestEthics. “As the only major federal party supporting the introduction of crude oil tankers, the Conservatives can expect increasing pressure from Canadians concerned about the risk of oil spills.”
ForestEthics has been doing outreach on the issue in key electoral areas. Past voting patterns make North Vancouver a strategically important riding for the Conservatives.
“Swing ridings like North Vancouver are won and lost on key issues. It’s clear that residents have serious concerns about oil tanker traffic, concerns that will be major considerations when they go to the polls,” said Skuce. “Remaining on the wrong side of public opinion could carry significant political costs for the Conservatives.”
The Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline would stretch 1,170 kilometres from the tar sands to Kitimat, where oil would be loaded onto supertankers bound for foreign markets. Over 225 oil tankers a year would navigate the same waters where BC Ferries’ Queen of the North sank in 2006. Support for a crude oil tanker ban is strong across the province. The Coastal First Nations declared a tar sands tanker ban in March and the UBCM recently passed a resolution in support of a federal oil tanker ban.
Check out more photos from this action:
NORTH VAN MOMS PIPE UP AGAINST OIL TANKER THREATS
Conservative MP Andrew Saxton receives mock pipeline made up of 1,000 post cards from constituentsHigh Resolution Photos Available Upon Request
.jpg) |
| MP Andrew Saxton presented with a mock pipeline made of postcards. |
North Vancouver mom Leslie Palleson got involved out of concern for her children’s futures. "BC is one of the few places with such pristine wilderness. We can’t let it become a dumping ground for corporate gain. One oil spill could destroy our clean ocean and all of its wildlife for many generations. This is about protecting our children's future."
After meeting with Palleson and other North Vancouver constituents, Saxton did not commit to support a tanker ban but said he would discuss the issue with the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment.
The federal Liberals and New Democrats have already publically supported banning oil tankers from B.C.’s North Coast. In June, Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff announced their commitment to a legislated tanker ban for Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound. NDP MP Fin Donnelly of New Westminster-Coquitlam has a private members’ bill before Parliament to legislate a tanker ban in BC’s inside coastal waters.
“When 80% of British Columbians of all political stripes oppose tanker traffic, supporting a legislated tanker ban for our ecologically sensitive coast seems like a no-brainer,” said Nikki Skuce, Senior Energy Campaigner with ForestEthics. “As the only major federal party supporting the introduction of crude oil tankers, the Conservatives can expect increasing pressure from Canadians concerned about the risk of oil spills.”
ForestEthics has been doing outreach on the issue in key electoral areas. Past voting patterns make North Vancouver a strategically important riding for the Conservatives.
“Swing ridings like North Vancouver are won and lost on key issues. It’s clear that residents have serious concerns about oil tanker traffic, concerns that will be major considerations when they go to the polls,” said Skuce. “Remaining on the wrong side of public opinion could carry significant political costs for the Conservatives.”
The Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline would stretch 1,170 kilometres from the tar sands to Kitimat, where oil would be loaded onto supertankers bound for foreign markets. Over 225 oil tankers a year would navigate the same waters where BC Ferries’ Queen of the North sank in 2006. Support for a crude oil tanker ban is strong across the province. The Coastal First Nations declared a tar sands tanker ban in March and the UBCM recently passed a resolution in support of a federal oil tanker ban.
Check out more photos from this action:
