Widespread dismay at “backwards” attempt by western Premiers to block coastal protection from oil spills

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View backgrounder on opposition to oil tankers on BC's North Coast >> View the full list of businesses and organizations in support of a ban on oil tankers through BC's Pacific North Coast >>

VANCOUVER – An array of community and environmental groups, and business and fishing interests are expressing shock and disappointment with outgoing Premier Gordon Campbell’s decision to go against the wishes of the majority of British Columbians and side with the premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan in asking the Prime Minister to defeat a bill that would permanently ban oil tankers through BC’s Pacific North Coast.

Introduced by Vancouver Quadra MP Joyce Murray in December of last year, Bill C-606 would protect the abundant  north coast of BC from catastrophic oil spills by banning the transportation of crude oil by tankers through the dangerous waters of the region. The bill followed a motion introduced by the federal NDP in December in which a majority of the House of Commons voted in favour of a tanker ban.

The attempt to scuttle a tanker ban by the three premiers is seen as compromising BC’s nature-based tourism industry, which brings $1.5 billion annually to BC’s economy and employs approximately 26,000 people, roughly half of whom work on the coast.

“Oil tankers could seriously jeopardize the future for nature-based tourism not only on the coast, but potentially throughout BC, because an oil spill would cause lasting damage to our coast and to BC's reputation,” said Evan Loveless of BC’s Wilderness Tourism Association. “We welcome the business certainty provided by this bill, and prefer legislation over review by a panel whose conclusions can be ignored. In the case of the panel for Enbridge’s Northern Gateway proposal, it doesn’t even include a representative of British Columbia.”
Arnie Nagy, a member of BC’s United Fisherman and Allied Workers Union responded to the breaking news yesterday afternoon by saying “when I heard [Mr. Campbell] signed that [letter], I was furious,” Nagy went on to say that it was “absolutely a betrayal of the people of British Columbia.” Nagy said that the fishing industry employs 5-6,000 people, and is at risk from oil tankers proposed for waters that are notoriously difficult to navigate.“One little accident destroys this entire operation,” Nagy said.
Polls have consistently shown that between 75% and 80% of British Columbians support a ban on tankers on the North Coast, and the Union of BC Municipalities passed a motion last year in support.

“Mr Campbell has been forced out because he didn’t listen, and now he’s ignoring more than 80% of BC as he heads out the door,” said Jennifer Rice of Friends of Wild Salmon. “He's also ignoring the overwhelming voices of northern communities. The public has made it clear: he doesn’t represent British Columbia anymore. I wonder what his potential replacements think?”

Josh Paterson of West Coast Environmental Law added: “A legislative tanker ban is the best and most sensible way to ensure lasting protection of the north coast from the threat of oil spills. This is forward-looking legislation that will allow the continued growth of a sustainable coastal economy, fisheries and tourism that aren't compatible with tanker traffic and oil spills.”

“British Columbians have spoken loud and clear: we will not put our coast at risk and want a ban on tankers to protect coastal communities and the Great Bear Rainforest,” said Nikki Skuce of ForestEthics. “A majority of Canada’s MPs back us up on this issue. Premier Campbell’s position is so off-side with British Columbians that it could only come from someone not running for re-election.”

“Mr. Campbell is telling British Columbians to give away their power to decide what happens to our rivers and our coast, and put the fate of our communities in the hands of a body with zero BC representation,” said  Eric Swanson of Dogwood Initiative. “We say forget it. The decision is for British Columbians to make, British Columbians have been clear, and it’s time for both our provincial and federal government to listen.”

More than 80 First Nations in BC have declared their staunch opposition to the proposal for tar sands pipelines and oil tankers in BC. The Coastal First Nations, on the north coast, and the Nations of the Fraser watershed have both declared bans on the transportation of tar sands oil through their lands and waters. A majority of the proposed Enbridge pipeline and tanker route is held by Nations that have imposed such bans.

The BC New Democrats have taken a position in support of a ban on tankers. Federally, the Liberal Party of Canada, the NDP, the Bloc Québécois and the Greens support a tanker ban, while the governing Conservatives voted against December’s tanker ban motion.