VICTORIA, B.C.: The truth is simple: the NDP’s economic blockade of B.C.’s northern coast does not stop foreign tankers, meaningfully protect the environment, or benefit British Columbians.
In last week’s memorandum of understanding, the federal Liberal and B.C. NDP governments decided to maintain the blockade, effectively shutting out a northern route for a new pipeline while foreign tankers continue to sail the same waters freely. The NDP economic blockade will significantly reduce the prosperity a new pipeline could bring to B.C.
“The purpose of this economic blockade is not to protect the environment; the purpose is for the government to delude Canadians by virtue signalling about the environment at the expense of the economy,” said Harman Bhangu, Shadow Minister for Transportation. “The law prohibits oil tankers carrying large quantities of crude oil from stopping, loading, or unloading at ports along B.C.’s northern coast, from the northern tip of Vancouver Island to the Alaska border. But it does not stop large oil tankers from traversing those same waters, and many large American tankers continually carry oil down the north coast on their way from Alaska to Washington. All this nonsensical policy does is blockade Canadian ships from using our own northern ports.”
“One of the key benefits of a new west coast pipeline is to diversify Canada’s export markets and strengthen Canadian energy sovereignty, which makes a northern route far more attractive,” said Larry Neufeld, Shadow Minister for Energy. “As a captured market only capable of shipping south, Western Canada receives 20 to 30 percent less than world market price for oil. A new pipeline is an opportunity to unlock B.C.’s missing benefits, but the economic blockade is a self-imposed barrier. Prince Rupert is a day and a half closer to Asia by ship than Vancouver is; in order to maximize the pipeline’s benefits to British Columbians, the northern route is the clear choice. To unleash our economy, the NDP and Liberal governments must stop bowing down to the radical environmental activist agenda.”
“It is unheard of for a government to purposely stifle its own economy like this,” said John Rustad, Shadow Minister for Treasury Board. “The southern pipeline route which the economic blockade enforces involves a massive cost increase and is significantly less feasible with a significantly larger environmental footprint than the northern route. Maintaining this economic blockade is an incredibly irresponsible decision.”
“The economic blockade of northern B.C.’s ports is dishonest, hypocritical, and unjustifiable,” said Hon. Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Leader of the Conservative Party of B.C. “I am calling on the federal government to abolish this blockade as quickly as possible. It is time to put an end to these worthless regulations that are undermining our economy and get to work on a northern pipeline to bring prosperity back to B.C.”
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Media Contact:
Nikki Bal
Conservative.Communications@leg.bc.ca
+1 (672) 922-0948
