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Sandspit says ‘no’ to Enbridge, Port will wait and see
News Articles | QCI Observer | Alex Rinfret | March 17, 2010
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Sandspit has become the first islands community to take a unified stance against the Enbridge pipeline proposal.
On Thursday night (March 11), after hearing a brief presentation from Kris Olsen of the Enbridge Awareness Group, the Moresby Island Management Committee voted unanimously to oppose the project.
Mr. Olsen said his group has several concerns about the Enbridge proposal, which would see twin pipelines built to carry tar sands oil from Alberta to Kitimat, and condensate from Kitimat to Alberta. From Kitimat, the oil would be loaded into tankers headed for China and other eastern markets.
“The concern is the tankers will be passing by the Queen Charlotte Islands/Haida Gwaii, through Dixon Entrance,” Mr. Olsen said. “It is a major proposal that is going to increase the amount of marine traffic going by our islands dramatically.”
Mr. Olsen told the management committee and the 13 members of the public attending that he will be making presentations to all the islands communities over the next few weeks, and hoping to get a united front opposing the proposed pipeline.
“I support you 100 percent,” responded management committee member Robert Chisholm. “It’s got to be stopped.”
Committee members then voted to support the awareness group and take a stand against Enbridge.
Mr. Olsen, who is also Queen Charlotte councillor, thanked the committee for its support and praised Sandspit for having so much public participation at its community meetings, sparking a round of applause from the Moresby Islanders.
But it was a different story in Port Clements Monday night (March 15), where mayor Cory Delves said council will not be making a decision on the issue until it hears from Enbridge.
“I don’t know how we could responsibly jump on board without knowing the other side of the story,” he said after Mr. Olsen made his presentation. “Before we make a decision on it, we’d like to hear both sides of the story.”
Mr. Delves said he was also concerned about the possible effect on provincial revenues if too many industries get shut down.
“Sometimes, you need some kind of engine to pay for all the social services,” he said.
Councillor Cam Traplin said he shared Mr. Olsen’s concerns about exporting raw resources instead of processing them here. He also agreed that increased tanker traffic in north coast waters will increase the chances of an accident, but said that’s a risk that needs to be taken, and that the best thing to do is to be well prepared for the inevitable oil spill.
“There is going to be an accident, no question, it’s going to happen,” he said. “We’d best be prepared for it and let it happen.”
Former Port resident Roger Harris now works as Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines vice-president of communications and aboriginal partnerships, and Gloria O’Brien asked if he would be coming to Port to make the Enbridge presentation.
Mr. Delves replied that he wasn’t sure. The village office has been in contact with Enbridge, and administrator Heather Nelson-Smith said the company is trying to send someone over to address council in April or May.
Mr. Olsen’s Enbridge Awareness Group will be making its next presentation on March 22 at Masset council.
Tagged with: pipeline, enbridge, northern gateway, qci observer, sandspit
