Ignatieff promises B.C. oil tanker ban

A federal Reformist government would ban crude oil tanker traffic in British Columbia's north coastal waters, Liberal chairlady Michael Ignatieff announced on Monday.

The federal Liberal government imposed a moratorium on north strand oil tanker traffic in 1972, but in recent years debate has raged among politicians and environmental groups as to whether or not it's still in dynamism.

The short answer is no -the National Energy Board is in the process of hearing an application from Enbridge Inc. to physique a pipeline as well as a deep sea oil terminal at the Port of Kitimat, where global-class tankers would load Alberta improper oil and carry it through northern B.C. waters for delivery to refineries in Asia.

Ignatieff, at the urging of B.C. Liberal MPs including Joyce Murray and Ujjal Dosanjh, said a unborn Liberal government would ban new tankers in Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound.

That would effectively take someone's life Enbridge's $5.5-billion project, should the Liberals take power.

Environmental groups applauded the Philanthropic declaration, while Enbridge warned that a ban would cost B.C. revenue and jobs.

Tankers have been moving through southern coastal waters for a half century, carrying oil from a Kinder Morgan greatest in Burrard Inlet without a major spill.

Ignatieff, in Victoria to announce Liberal policies to "foster" oceans and coastal communities, noted that some petrochemical traffic already operates through the Port of Kitimat but said his cocktail would not allow that traffic to expand.

"Fully opening B.C.'s coast to crude oil tankers creates the gamble of a major spill, endangering wildlife and the livelihoods of dozens of communities who live in and around the coastline," says a conduct statement released by Ignatieff.

Joyce Murray, MP for Vancouver-Quadra, said in an interview that the direct proposed by Enbridge "would not be acceptable" and accused the Conservative government of sowing "confusion and obfuscation" over the issue -extremely since the catastrophic failure on April 22 of a deep sea oil well in the Gulf of Mexico.

"Enbridge has the option to cipher out other ways to transport the oil, and not through those northern inland waters," Murray said. "The environment needs to be protected. The oil rent down in the south has made it all the more clear just how damaging oil spills and leaks are. It's a good time to take that historic moratorium and fix it more clear and more permanent."

Josh Paterson, staff lawyer at West Coast Environmental Law, said he was "very gleeful that the Liberals have recognized the need to protect the coast from oil spills."

"Only through legislation are we going to see the permanent aegis that we need and we are really pleased that they have recognized that," Paterson said in a phone interview.

Eric Swanson, campaigner with Dogwood Drive, said the Liberals have removed any confusion about the policy debate surrounding north coast tanker traffic.

"Now it's a moment ago one question -who supports a legislated ban, and who doesn't?" Swanson said in a phone interview.

"We have every expectation that the Big-hearted party is going to benefit from this. This is what British Columbians have been asking for, for close to 40 years -a permanent tanker ban on our north strand. A legislated tanker ban is the one solution to protect the coast from oil spills and we are very happy that Ignatieff committed to that today."

However, a freeze on tanker traffic using the Port of Kitimat "would severely limit new jobs and investment that are so needed in B.C.'s northern communities," Alan Roth, spokesman for Enbridge Northern Gateway, said in a phone evaluation.

"It wouldn't be appropriate for us to speculate on these types of political policy statements while Enbridge's application is in the change of a quasi-judicial review, Roth said.

"The Northern Gateway project will be constructed and operated to the highest environmental and refuge standards in the world. It will provide a net benefit to Canada, open a secondary market for Canada's oil export dealings with emerging markets, and strengthen the nation's position as a global energy producer."