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Northern Gateway Pipeline Rejected By Smithers, B.C.

Northern Gateway Pipeline Smithers

First Posted: 02/29/2012 11:25 am Updated: 03/ 2/2012 11:02 am

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SMITHERS, B.C. - The northwestern B.C. town of Smithers, B.C., has joined two cities and one regional district in rejecting the Northern Gateway pipeline project.

Councillors representing the Bulkley Valley community of nearly 6,000 voted Tuesday night to oppose plans by Enbridge Inc. (TSX-ENB) to pipe Alberta crude across northern B.C. to Kitimat for shipment by supertanker to Asia.

Smithers, Terrace, Prince Rupert and the Skeena-Queen Charlotte Regional District fear the potential of a devastating spill if the pipeline ruptures or supertankers run aground in the challenging waters of the north coast.

Prince Rupert council voted against the massive project on Monday night, following the lead set by Terrace two weeks earlier, and prompting Smithers councillor Phil Brienesse (brih-NESS’-ee) to re-introduce his motion of opposition after it was tabled month.

Brienesse says the Tuesday night outcome brings the north together, showing the region is united against Northern Gateway.

The Smithers vote comes as the Joint Review Panel considering the Northern Gateway Project holds a second day of hearings in the community of Old Massett on the northern tip of Haida Gwaii. (CJFW)

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version stated the motion had been defeated in a vote last month, when it was only tabled.

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SMITHERS, B.C. - The northwestern B.C. town of Smithers, B.C., has joined two cities and one regional district in rejecting the Northern Gateway pipeline project.Councillors representing the Bulkley V...
SMITHERS, B.C. - The northwestern B.C. town of Smithers, B.C., has joined two cities and one regional district in rejecting the Northern Gateway pipeline project.Councillors representing the Bulkley V...
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jasonam
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02:56 PM on 03/01/2012
One issue for us in BC is that we need to know that industry will pay for the full cost of any cleanup. Legal responsibility under current laws and the proposed project terms are not sufficient to pay for a major spill. The actual financial benefit for the taxpayer in BC is minimal, while the risks are major since most of the pipeline will be in BC. Why should the BC taxpayer hold the bag for a major spill while Alberta and the Feds get filthy rich? Alberta wants to pollute their land and under price their resources to foreign oil corps so their provincial government can spend like drunken sailors and they can lower business taxes to unsustainable levels, hike public sector wages and in general make it difficult to do business elsewhere because everything will be compared to free falling Alberta. "Our teachers make $20,000 less than Alberta teachers", etc.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
contest d
54 Fans
08:42 PM on 02/29/2012
Natural Resources Minister (responding to CD Howe report): “We believe reviews for major projects can be accomplished in a quicker and more streamlined fashion. We do not want projects that are safe, generate thousands of new jobs and open up new export markets, to die in the approval phase due to unnecessary delays.”

The unnecessary delays he's referring to do not exist in China for example. They just move people who get in the way of investment culture and ignore them when their homes/livelihoods are destroyed by its progress... any wonder there are growing incidents of protest in China.

Joe Oliver should be forced out of what ever tranquilly privileged community he calls home to live in one of the socio-environmentally ravaged communities that are inevitably left behind in our race to preserve wealth.
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BritishColumbian
American/Canadian liberal
2678 Fans
04:57 PM on 02/29/2012
I wonder how Harper will attack and label these representatives who are acting in the best interest of the cities they were elected to represent.
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sonoffestus
Got smart & got out!
661 Fans
08:54 PM on 02/29/2012
Terrorist or child molesters............It doesn't matter, there are too many Canadians who seem to be very happy with a PM who holds them and the entire country in contempt.

By the way, I'm an American/Canadian, a Lefty and British Colombian as well. Best to you...........SOF.
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