November 16 - 30 , 2016 PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY A13
s Trans Mountain , Line 3 jects Northern Gateway
are in place , whether they are terrestrial land based protections , or marine based protections ,” de Jong said .
“ And yes we think , insofar as there is risk , there is always risk , we seek to reduce to the greatest extent possible the risk of any economic activity taking place on the land base . We think British Columbians deserve and expect a measure of fiscal benefit or compensation around that . We haven ’ t , the premier hasn ’ t , stipulated precisely what the mechanism for that is ,” de Jong said .
Andrew Weaver , leader of the B . C . Green Party , says Trudeau has betrayed the trust of British Columbians .
“ The approval of this project is completely contradictory to this government ’ s rhetoric at the Paris climate talks , as well as their commitments to finally embrace a new era of reconciliation . This government was elected with guarantees that change would finally happen – instead we see yet another Federal government steamrolling their pipeline agenda over First Nations and over B . C . communities ,” Weaver said in a statement .
North Vancouver ’ s Tsleil-Waututh Nation , a Coast Salish community of 500 members located across Burrard Inlet from the Kinder Morgan terminus , says they will not allow the pipeline expansion to be built .
“ I have to say that I am not totally surprised by the permit decision today but I am disappointed . There is a terrible history of the mistreatment of First Nations people in Canada . It saddens me because we hoped things might be different with Trudeau but today ’ s decision is a big step backwards ,” Tsleil-Waututh Nation spokesperson Charlene Aleck said in a statement .
The pipeline announcement earned praise from both the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade and the Surrey Board of Trade .
“ Here in Greater Vancouver , the project will generate more than a billion dollars in construction spending , create thousands of high-paying jobs , and help attract new investment to our region ,” said Iain Black ,
President and CEO of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade .. “ Our organization applauds the Federal Government for approving this project , which has undergone a comprehensive scientific and technical assessment and is subject to conditions that will ensure it is built to the highest safety and environmental standards .”
In Ottawa , Trudeau said Canada is still a “ climate leader ,” and pointed to Alberta ’ s plan to cap greenhouse gas emissions from the oil patch at 100
megatonnes of greenhouse gas ( GHG ) emissions a year .
Trudeau and Alberta Premier Rachel Notley later met on Parliament Hill after the federal cabinet gave the green light to Kinder Morgan ’ s Trans Mountain expansion and Enbridge ’ s Line 3 .
Trudeau said that if these projects aren ’ t built , diluted bitumen would be forced into more rail tanker cars for transport .
“ That is less economic , and more dangerous for communities , and is higher in terms of greenhouse gas emissions than modern pipelines would be .”
The government has been laying the groundwork for approving a major pipeline , courting greenconscious voters with plans to impose a national price on carbon , phase out coalpowered plants by 2030 , and overhaul the National Energy Board , the country ’ s regulator .
Trudeau also announced that the government would ban crude oil tankers along B . C .’ s North Coast , promising legislation in the new year to implement a moratorium .
The Sierra Club of B . C . praised the oil tanker ban but condemned the Kinder Morgan and Enbridge Line 3 approvals .
“ B . C . will not be a sacrifice zone for the Prime Minister ’ s incoherent climate and energy policy and Alberta ’ s deluded demands for tidewater access ,” said campaign director Caitlyn Vernon .
“ Let ’ s be clear , though : Prime Minister Trudeau has picked a fight with British Columbians by approving Kinder Morgan — and it starts now ,” said Vernon . “ The Kinder Morgan pipeline will not be built . Not on our watch .”
The Heiltsuk Nation in Bella Bella praised the tanker
ban and the federal rejection of Enbridge Northern Gateway project , calling it a “ clear win for all coastal communities .”
“ We are very pleased the federal government decided to not go forward with this untenable proposal ,” said Chief Marilyn Slett . “ From the beginning , the mere idea of supertankers carrying crude oil in Heiltsuk waters was horrifying . Today , we celebrate that this project is no longer a prospect .”
The controversial Trans Mountain expansion project will nearly triple the capacity of an existing pipeline to 890,000 barrels a day .
This $ 6.8-billion , 1,150-kilometre twinned pipeline will move a mix of oil products from Edmonton to a terminal in Burnaby , B . C ., near Vancouver , where it will be exported to markets in Asia . Some of the product is also destined for Chevron ’ s Vancouver-area refinery .
Kinder Morgan ’ s pipeline will move a mix of oil products from Edmonton to a terminal in Burnaby , B . C ., near Vancouver , where it will be exported to markets in Asia .
If constructed , the expansion will lead to a marked increase in the number of tankers travelling through the area — from approximately five to 34 a
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