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VOL. 27 NO. 29
www.terracestandard.com
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Oil tanker ban on MP’s list
By JOSH MASSEY
JOSH MASSEY PHOTO
■■ Sold to the woman in blue! KAZUKO TAKEMOTO takes a look at a pair of moccasins that were on display for the 55th Annual Rotary Club of Terrace auction. Taking place on Nov. 7-8, the large event raised money for Rotary projects and featured an online bidding as well as in-person display and bidding system for a variety of donated items. The money raised goes toward both local community projects as well as to the global list of projects undertaken by Rotary.
WITH THE new federal Liberal government now in place, northwestern B.C. NDP MP Nathan Cullen says he’ll be pressing it to follow through on an election commitment to legislate a ban on oil tanker traffic on the north coast. One of his first tasks is to prepare an information package for environment and climate change minister Katherine McKenna to get her up to speed on Cullen’s position on tankers and to impress upon her the need to get the ban bill passed as soon as possible. Both the Liberals and the NDP have supported a tanker ban with Vancouver Quadra Liberal MP Joyce Murray introducing a private members’s bill in 2010 following a motion by Cullen, and then Cullen in 2014 submitting a private member’s bill of his own to the House of Commons. Now that the Liberals are in power, Cullen expects the new government to introduce a bill similar to both previous versions, neither of which ever received support from the then-Conservative government. “The solution is very well-known, it’s not that there is an enormous amount of research or consultation that needs to be done, their own policy is their campaign commitment,” said Cullen. “Enacting it would not be difficult and obviously with a majority and our support, such an enactment would pass through parliament very easily.” Once the new parliament begins work in Ottawa on Dec. 3, Cullen says he hopes to have the opportunity to nudge the government dur-
ing question period, however he can’t say exactly when he will have this opportunity considering Justin Trudeau has promised to change how question period operates. “I don’t want to make a promise and find out we get one question a week,” said Cullen. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a tanker ban plan a key part of his west coast promises, saying he would “formalize the moratorium on crude oil tanker traffic on British Columbia’s north coast – including the Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait, and Queen Charlotte Sound – and ensure that ecologically sensitive areas and local economies are protected from the devastating impacts of a spill.” The moratorium would
take in the length of the coast from the northern tip of Vancouver Island to the Alaskan border, commonly referred to as the Great Bear Rainforest. Cullen said Trudeau was so adamant about legislating a ban it will be politically impossible to back out. “I am not sure he has a choice,” said Cullen. “This was an important election, and B.C. returned a majority of MPs who are supportive of a north coast tanker ban, so chip chop,” he added. But while a moratorium is certainly in the cards, there are important details to be finalized such as the area in which it might apply and what types of oil products in particular will be banned.
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More needed, says councillor
THE CHAIR of the Northwest B.C. Resource Benefits Alliance says the $1 million that local governments in the region received several years ago from the province wasn’t enough to get ready for a possible super boom of industrial development in the area. “I think the province needs to step up their game and really contribute to these communities,” said Tyers to Nichola Wade, official in charge of the province’s Northwest Readiness Project, at a recent city council meeting. Tyers was referring to a request made by the alliance, subsequently turned down, by the province for another $1 million so it could shape its call for the province to share taxation revenue from large-scale projects. “We have been touted as the economic driver of the province and a $1 million commitment over the last four years to six communities is not a significant contribution to the province,” said Tyers. The original money was meant to help municipalities update sewer and water needs planning and land use planning based on the prospect of increased population numbers and business activity that would come from large-scale liquefied natural gas projects and other developments. Tyers said that money only scratched the surface of what is needed.
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Help homeless
Nations strategy
Zones coming
High school student collects clothing for Ksan House \COMMUNITY A10
Local groups discuss ways to further aboriginal business opportunity \NEWS A5
Girls volleyball teams are gearing up for zones in Terrace Nov. 14 and 21 \SPORTS A24