Fort St. James Sustainability Group Responds to JRP report

Press Release – from the Fort St. James Sustainability Group

As a member of the Fort St. James Sustainability Group I can say we are steadfast in our knowledge that the Joint review Panel recommendation, although disappointing but no surprise, does not mean approval of the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipelines and oil tanker project.  First Nations approval and social license from the public are needed; Enbridge Northern Gateway and the Harper government do not have either.

The Joint Review Panel recommendation partially meets but one of BC Premier Christy Clark’s five conditions.  There is undeniable opposition to the project by many First Nations and in the last two weeks thousands of people have pledged to help them hold the wall of resistance against this unnecessary and unwanted project.

We know by recent studies that BC, Canada and Enbridge Northern Gateway themselves do not have the capacity or the capability of being world leading in either land or marine oil spill response, certainly not now, nor into the foreseeable future, and not without great cost to the tax payers.

Our federal and BC governments, and the proponent, seem to think the purported economic benefits are the predominant selling features of this project, but using the strongly conveyed words of residents of our community, we say “NO AMOUNT of potential economic benefit could outweigh the potential risks.”

We call on our premier and her government to hold fast to their opposition of this project; as they said to Enbridge Northern Gateway and the Joint Review Panel in their written final argument, “trust me” is not good enough.

The focus now shifts to the Harper cabinet: are they willing to defy the people of BC, breach First Nations law and force these pipelines and oil tankers on us?

For us and many other people in BC, the reasons we have for opposing the Northern Gateway project remain regardless of what the JRP said.  We stand stronger than ever in our opposition to this project, and maintain that by the will of the people who are being asked to live with the threat to their environment and livelihoods, that it will never be built.

Over the next few days we will be taking the time to review the conditions carefully.  In the weeks and months to come we will continue to hold the BC government to account; they still have four conditions that have not been met.  We will also continue to support First Nations and any actions they may take in opposition.

We urge all those opposed to this project to tell Premier Clark, their MLA, MP, municipal or regional government that this project should not and will not be built.  Challenge your elected officials to lead BC on a new course; one that is not controlled by oil companies, exposing our environment and our way of life to damaging oil spills and out of control climate change.

As for Prime Minister Harper and his cabinet, in my opinion they should take the next 6 months to evaluate the legal and political risk of approving this project against the need for oil companies to make more money.  I believe there is only one decision they could logically come to, that is to show British Columbians the respect they deserve, and not approve this project.

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