THE Tsleil-Waututh Nation is applauding comments made by NDP leader Adrian Dix this week opposing the proposed expansion of the Kinder Morgan pipeline.
"Strong leadership is about making tough decisions," said spokesman Justin George, manager of economic development and former chief of the nation. "The majority of British Columbians oppose (the pipeline) for good reason," he said. "Jobs (from the project) won't come to the North Shore but the impacts will. We are left with 110 per cent of that risk with little benefit."
The Tsleil-Waututh, whose North Vancouver territory is directly across Burrard Inlet from the terminus of Kinder Morgan's existing TransMountain pipeline, have long been outspoken in their opposition to the proposal to increase the pipeline's capacity to carry heavy oil from Alberta's oil sands through the port for export.
If approved, the pipeline expansion could dramatically increase oil tanker traffic in Burrard Inlet, from about 65 tankers a year currently to more than 350 ships.
The Tsleil-Waututh have been adamantly opposed to the plan, fearing potential environmental impacts on their traditional territory that has already felt the brunt of industrial port activity.
E On Monday, Dix also came out against the plan. Previously, the NDP leader has been careful to stress that Kinder Morgan hasn't yet submitted a formal proposal. But this week, Dix appeared to toughen up against the expansion, saying although he has yet to see the formal plan, as he understands it, the plan "would dramatically transform what the pipeline does" and change it into "a pipeline used to bitumen export."
Said Di "I don't think the Port of Metro Vancouver . . . should become a major oil export port."
Dix's comments on the Kinder Morgan pipeline were echoed
Monday by North Vancouver Seymour NDP candidate Jim Hanson, who said he'd also oppose changing the Kinder Morgan terminal into "a major oil sands export facility."
"I remember the pristine beauty of the North Shore when I grew up," said Hanson. "There's discussion of adding 600,000 barrels of oil sands bitumen . . . that would bring too much environmental harm to North Vancouver Seymour."
Hanson said as the lawyer who represented passengers from the Queen of the North, "I know that ships can sink and under circumstances that are hard to explain. I'm not prepared to believe any kind of maritime travel is foolproof."
Jane Thornthwaite, the incumbent Liberal MLA for the riding, pointed to the inconsistencies in Dix's pipeline position. "Initially he said they were going to wait until the project was properly announced," she said. Thornthwaite added she still thinks waiting is the best approach. "To just come out and say we don't approve it or we don't want it or we don't like it without having criteria, it will scare away future investment," she said.
Thornthwaite said the Liberal position on the pipeline is that the pipeline shouldn't be approved unless environmental safeguards are in place, First Nations are consulted and B.C. sees economic benefits from the plan.
"At this particular point we don't even have a proposal to consider," she said. "It would be premature to come out with a position. I think that's what distinguishes us from the NDP."
Kathryn Harrison, a professor of political science at the University of British Columbia, said politically, Dix's change in position is "potentially important in pulling back to the NDP voters who might have been inclined to vote Green.
"Up until now Adrian Dix has walked a very careful line," she said. "It was quite a big deal that he said what he did."
Harrison said while environmental issues in general have not figured prominently in this campaign, "pipelines and tankers are quite a prominent issue in voters' minds."
