Green Party leader Elizabeth May has stated repeatedly that her party is the only one that will stand up against tankers and pipelines to defend our coast. I would like to enter into evidence two facts which contradict this messaging.
In March of this year, Kennedy Stewart, an NDP MP from Burnaby, presented a petition with over 3,000 signatures, his most-signed petitition ever, calling on the government to prevent the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion.
Also in the spring of this year, Nathan Cullen, an NDP MP representing the northern BC riding of Skeena-Bulkley Valley, introduced “An Act to Defend the Pacific Northwest,” which would have banned supertankers on the West Coast, reformed the NEB to increase consultation with First Nations and communities, and ensure that value-added job impacts were assessed as part of any energy project review. This legislation was also accompanied by an extensive tour of the MP throughout British Columbia, engaging citizens on the issue and in the hope of bringing Conservative MPs on board with the bill. Unfortunately, this act was defeated, being voted down by the Conservatives 141 to 120, including the 21 Conservative MPs from B.C.
I appreciate Ms. May and her party’s opposition to pipelines and increased tanker traffic, and would like to hear more about their plans in this respect, but they cannot claim that there is no other party standing up on these issues, as the record clearly shows otherwise.
Stephanie Ferguson
Saanich