If you live in the Burnaby North-Seymour riding and have a landline, you may have received a phone call recently, asking if you’re for or against the proposed Trans Mountain expansion project.
Kennedy Stewart, NDP MP for Burnaby South, conducted an automated phone survey on the controversial project between Nov. 8 and 16. Of the 2,299 households that were surveyed by Direct Leap Technologies Inc., 66 per cent opposed it, while 34 per cent were in favour.
Stewart told the NOW he plans to conduct phone surveys in up to 10 more ridings before the federal Liberal cabinet makes its decision by Dec. 19. The hope, according to the MP, is to put on “as much pressure as possible.”
“This is the best way. Showing MPs the level of opposition in their riding is one way of prompting them to stand up to their prime minister and saying, ‘We don’t want this,’” he said, adding he has no idea which way the decision will go.
“I have heard everything from it’s absolutely going to be cancelled, to it’s absolutely going to be approved. Now I’ve heard that it’s going to be rerouted. I haven’t got one thing that’s indicated to me one way or the other at this point,” said Stewart.
He had a similar response when asked if he’s heard what day cabinet will make its announcement.
“I’ve heard Friday this week. I’ve heard Monday next week and I’ve heard they’re going to wait right until the deadline,” he said.
If approved, Stewart said he’ll be meeting with First Nations leaders, city mayors and other groups to see what the next step is.
“The company will be very keen to start construction as soon as possible. There are tens, if not hundreds of thousands of British Columbians who are against this. (It) just keeps me up at night thinking how much trouble this could cause in our communities,” he said.
Meanwhile, this isn’t the first time Stewart has gauged feedback through a phone survey. In 2011, he surveyed more than 1,000 residents on building a gondola on Burnaby Mountain.
