Local reaction to the National Energy Board’s decision on the Kinder Morgan pipeline came swift on Thursday. The final decision now lies with federal cabinet. Here’s what local stakeholders said:
Kennedy Stewart, MP for Burnaby South - not surprised
“I expected the National Energy Board to rubber-stamp this project, and they did. The process had been designed by Stephen Harper to help the application to succeed. ... Although Mr. Trudeau promised to fix and revise the process, he didn’t do that,” Stewart told the NOW. “The NEB admits British Columbia is taking the risks, but there’s not a lot of benefits to us, which is what we’ve been hearing from residents across Burnaby and British Columbia for the past four years.”
As for next steps, Stewart said the only person who can stop the pipeline is Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“The project is not a good project for British Columbia for a whole variety of reasons,” he said. “I don’t even know where to start, the construction phase (will be) disruptive. They’re going to build something the size of a SkyTrain, then we’re moving (890,000) barrels of oil a day through our community with all the risk that entails, then one tanker per day at least filling up and sailing through. It makes Burnaby a heavy industry city now, and that’s a big change to how we think of Burnaby.”
Stewart said if Trudeau pushes the project through, he will lose some of the 18 seats the Liberals hold in B.C., and the question is: How many seats is he willing to lose?
“I think there’s still a chance to stop it; we just have to be loud about it,” he said.
Terry Beech, MP Burnaby North Seymour – also not surprised
“I don’t want to say I’m not surprised, but I’m not surprised. I think the next seven months are going to be really important, and I’m going to focus intently on the next part of this interim process that we promised to Canadians and the residents of Burnaby North-Seymour,” he said.
Beech said he spent close to 18 months door-knocking in his riding, and his office is making the pipeline its Number 1 priority. Beech’s office is organizing and attending events to hear people’s views on the pipeline. He’s also arranging a public forum with his entire B.C. caucus in the first two weeks of September, and he’s pushing for the natural resources and environment ministers to come to Burnaby.
“If you have strong views on either side, I invite you to participate and reach out to my office,” he said. “Every single person that’s contacted me has been invited to attend a meeting. I want to continue to encourage people to reach out to my office.”
When asked if he was nervous he could lose his seat if the Liberals move ahead with the pipeline, Beech replied, “My job is not to protect my seat; my job is to represent my community, and that’s what I’m going to do to the best of my ability.”
Beech said he’s met with community leaders, constituents, mayors, provincial representatives, the B.C. premier, MLAs, MPs, the Liberal cabinet and caucus and even the prime minister on the subject.
Elsie Dean, a founding member of Burnaby Residents Opposing Kinder Morgan Expansion - not surprised
“I expected it, and it was like listening to the old story over and over,” she said, vowing to keep up the group’s opposition.
“We’re going to continue to oppose it, because we don’t believe it is a benefit to society, (or) to our country, because they don’t take into consideration the costs of any mishaps, and no one can guarantee there won’t be oil spills and accidents,” she said. “We’ve had a long history of bad air from oil companies, and with all the tanks they are putting on the mountain, there will be fumes, and this is deadly stuff they are bringing into Burnaby.”
BROKE is planning to encourage people to participate in the federal government’s extra consultation process, and Dean said there would be more protests.
“They will be constant. We do have to work hard to convince the federal government, because every indication is that they also will approve it,” she said.
Kinder Morgan – pleased but still reviewing the decision
No one from Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain Expansion media team was available to comment, as they’re still going over the decision, but they did release this statement:
“Trans Mountain is pleased the National Energy Board has recommended that our project be approved by Governor in Council because it is in the Canadian public interest. In its recommendations, the board has set out 157 conditions. Trans Mountain is currently reviewing the decision and will have additional comments later today.”
Derek Corrigan, Burnaby mayor - disappointed
“I’m not surprised, but I’m of course disappointed. You hope against hope there would be a more reasonable decision than what we received,” Corrigan said. “I suspected they were on this path from the first day they opened the hearings.”
Corrigan said the response to the NEB’s decision is now in the hands of the public.
“The prime minister has to hear from communities that are affected, and people who are sympathizing to the issues we’re facing, that this issue is one that won’t go away. He’s not going to simply placate people by simply sending up a panel to listen.”
Corrigan would like to see the NEB’s process redone and a national strategy for fossil fuels.
“The side benefit is the creation of jobs for Canadian citizens, but how we manage that resource and how long we continue to use that resource has never been considered by any government,” he said, adding we have a limited amount of oil.
