K
I
T
I
M
A
Years est. 1954
Volume 60 No. 18
Kitimat says no to Gateway Cameron Orr After over an hour of debate and discussion Kitimat Council settled on officially opposing the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines proposal. The motion reads “That Mayor and Council support the results of the April 12th plebiscite by adopting a position of being opposed to the Enbridge Northern Gateway project.” The original motion as presented by Phil Germuth was actually slightly longer and worded as “That Mayor and Council support the results of the April 12th plebiscite, the Haisla, and our neighbouring communities, by adopting a position of being opposed to the Enbridge Northern Gateway project.” With councillors Corinne Scott and Mary Murphy absent for the meeting, the motion passed 4-1, with Edwin Empinado the sole opponent to the motion supported by Germuth, Mario Feldhoff, Mayor Joanne Monaghan and Rob Goffinet. Empinado’s opposing vote however didn’t seem to be a statement against the project itself but he had lingering questions he couldn’t get answered at the meeting, and was concerned about the future ability of the town to still work with the company if the project eventually proceeds. Empinado said that he wants the to town to take a position that will allow them to protect the environment while still giving them the ability to work with the company to protect their interests. Monaghan said the motion pre-amended, which included references to neighbouring communities, was among the hardest in her political career. “The motion that’s before us goes far beyond the original motion of supporting the plebiscite. Therefore I feel I cannot vote in favour of this motion as it includes, for instance, Terrace, who voted against this project but who now want to join us in the refinery situation by having a tax [share].” Germuth expressed disappointment that the motion was picked apart as it was, but agreed to a friendly amendment from Feldhoff to get it to its final wording in order to get consensus from the council. In speaking to his motion Germuth emphasized Kitimat’s ongoing and past support of industrial development. “Kitimat has always supported industry. “This [project] just crossed the line in that risk and benefit was weighted to be way too much on the risk side,” he said. The motion, he added, won’t close the door to speaking to proponents in the future, including even with Enbridge themselves.
Sentinel
T
Northern
www.northernsentinel.com
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
1.30 INCLUDES TAX
$
Delta Spirit officially opened Cameron Orr For just one afternoon the scores of people filling the lobby of the Delta Spirit Lodge, a re-fitted Estonian ferry to serve as housing for contract workers, were not workers themselves but community stakeholders and business people, on hand for the official blessing and opening of the ship. The vessel, which can house about 600 people, has already been opened to its guests, people located temporarily in Kitimat for the Kitimat Modernization Project. So far 450 beds have been committed, said Bridgemans Services’ partner Brian Grange, who was in attendance for the opening on April 24. Bridgemans and the Haisla partnered to bring the ship to
Above, the ribbon is cut on the Delta Spirit Lodge’s deck four, the main lobby. From left to right is Bridgemans Services’ Brian Grange, Haisla Chief Councillor Ellis Ross, Rio Tinto’s managing director for product delivery Brent Hegger, Haisla hereditary chief Sam Robinson, General Manager, BC Operations Gaby Poirier and an original Delta King resident Joe Feldhoff. Below, one of the ship’s larger rooms. Kitimat. The ship is currently hiring for onboard workers but Grange says that they’ve tapped local residents as best as they can, with a so far 20 per cent workforce of local employees. There’s about 52
people working on the ship but may see that grow to around 70 in the near future. Brent Hegger, Rio Tinto’s managing director for product delivery, said that the 450 rooms so far reserved for KMP workers is enough for
the modernization’s current demand but they may increase that number in the future if they need. The ship traveled for 45 days to get to the north coast and hit rough weather in the English Channel and near San Francisco
before arrival. It’s a 10-deck ship, 580 feet long and 100 feet wide. By comparison the Northern Expedition ship of BC Ferries, which services Prince Rupert to Port Hardy, and to Haida Gwaii, is 507 feet long.
PM477761
Life is still hard for renters ... page 8