Premiers emphasize Asia-Pacific links, but Clark won’t commit to pipeline
VANCOUVER — Premier Christy Clark hedged on whether she would support a proposed pipeline through B.C. that would supply oil to Asia, despite a significant focus on building trade with Asia at the annual meeting of Canadian premiers in Vancouver.
Clark would only say Thursday that she would wait and see what the outcome is of the environmental assessment of Enbridge Inc.‘s Northern Gateway pipeline.
“We in British Columbia are a trading economy, and Canada is a trading nation. We need to be thinking about how we can get all of our goods off the coast to other countries to make sure that we are maximizing our opportunities and maximizing jobs across the country,” Clark said when asked if she supports the pipeline. “The coast belongs to British Columbia, but it’s also Canada’s west coast.”
The pipeline would take oil from the Alberta oilsands to Kitimat, where it could be loaded onto tankers headed for Asia.
B.C.‘s New Democrats questioned the Liberals’ support for the pipeline after B.C. agreed to a national energy plan at a meeting of national energy and mines ministers in Kananaskis, Alta., this week.
“Premier Christy Clark doesn’t want to directly address the controversial pipeline because she knows most British Columbians don’t want it,” New Democrat deputy energy and mines critic Doug Donaldson said in a news release.
A group of British Columbia first nations leaders, whose lands make up about a quarter of the proposed pipeline route, have staunchly opposed it, despite Enbridge’s offer of equity stakes.
Ian Bruce, climate change specialist from the David Suzuki Foundation, said that the pipeline would take Canada off track as far as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and that it would also put B.C.‘s existing coastal economy — tourism, ecotourism and fishing — at risk of an oil spill from increased tanker traffic.
Regulatory hearings into the project are scheduled to begin in early 2012.
Meanwhile, Clark said that every premier at the Council of the Federation meeting is looking for ways to increase trade with Asia. “Notably, every premier in the room really seized on the idea of making Canada an Asia-Pacific country, even more than we are today,” Clark said. “All the way from British Columbia to P.E.I., provinces were talking about how we can seize this incredible generational opportunity to be part of the tremendous growth that we’re going to be seeing in Asia.”
Clark said that in 20 years, 60 per cent of middle-class spending will be in Asia, with just 20 per cent each coming from North America and Europe.
“That’s the exact opposite of what it is today,” Clark said. “Clearly, it’s vital for Canada that we make sure that Asia-Pacific is at the top of our agenda.”
Ontario’s Premier Dalton McGuinty, who left the meeting early on Thursday to deal with severe forest fires in his home province, said he proposed a joint Council of the Federation trade mission to China.
“When you travel abroad, not that many people know Ontario. They do know Toronto, they do know Montreal, they do know Vancouver and they do know Canada,” McGuinty said. “The Canadian flag is a very powerful brand for us, and I don’t think we’re doing enough together to leverage the strength that it could bring to us.”
Even Prince Edward Island’s Premier Robert Ghiz said his province wants to expand trade with Asia. The province exports seafood such as lobster, oysters and mussels to China, and the province’s university has 10 per cent foreign students, mainly from China. He said he has already been part of one trade mission to China.
“We view that as a major opportunity to grow our economy as well . . . and we’re going to push forward to try to do more business in that part of the world,” Ghiz said.
The Council of the Federation meeting continues Friday with discussions on health care, families, energy, jobs and the economy.