BC NDP wrong about BC Team at NGP Hearings...

Courtesy of the BC Gov't Caucus:

The BC NDP need to apologize. In light of today’s ruling at the Northern Gateway Pipeline hearings that B.C. is allowed to question Enbridge about their financial liability for spill response and restoration, the BC NDP obviously were rash in their call to judgement on the legal team representing B.C. at the hearings in Edmonton, said Environment Minister Terry Lake.

“Our government is being responsible and is representing the interests of all British Columbians at the National Energy Board Joint Review Panel hearings in Edmonton. We’re not there to play politics. Our government is putting B.C. first,” said Minister Lake.

Yesterday at the hearings, the Province pursued questioning on financial liability of the Northern Gateway Pipeline proponents, and its partners, for spill response and restoration as well as details regarding liability insurance and plans for full environmental restoration in the event of a spill. This includes the scope of the NGP’s liability and insurance. Although it was interrupted by a procedural question, today it was determined this line of questioning was in scope and this line of questioning is continuing today.

“The BC NDP’s rush to judgement about the Province’s line of questions revealed their complete lack of understanding of the review process, and showed that they are not monitoring the hearings. While the government team is at all the hearings and closely monitoring all exchanges, the BC NDP are sitting at home and speculating. The NDP have demonstrated their preferences for made-up environmental processes with pre-determined outcomes and don’t have a consistent position. We’ve always been consistent, and our government remains committed to exercising its full rights as an intervenor in the hearings and will continue to press for B.C.’s environmental demands to be addressed,” added Lake.

Yesterday, legal counsel for British Columbia began part one of the government’s cross-examination at the Joint Review Panel examining the Northern Gateway Pipeline. They will ensure representation of the five conditions the government has identified that must be met before consideration of any heavy oil pipeline proposal will proceed:

1. Successful completion of the environmental review process. In the case of NGP, that would mean a recommendation by the National Energy Board Joint Review Panel that the project can proceed.

2. World-leading marine oil spill response, prevention and recovery systems for B.C.’s coastline and ocean to manage and mitigate the risks and cost of heavy oil pipelines and shipments.

3. World-leading practices for land oil-spill prevention, response and recovery systems to manage and mitigate the risks and costs of heavy oil pipelines.

4. Legal requirements regarding Aboriginal and treaty rights are addressed, and First Nations are provided with the opportunities, information and resources necessary to participate in and benefit from a heavy oil project.

5. British Columbia receives a fair share of the fiscal and economic benefits of a proposed heavy oil project that reflects the level, degree and nature of the risk borne by the province, the environment and taxpayers.