Reacting to Federal government decision to buy Trans Mountain
In what can only be described as a desperate attempt to save face, the Federal Government announced today that it would use taxpayer money to buy Trans Mountain’s Canadian assets which include the existing pipeline from Alberta to the Burnaby refinery.
Below I reproduced the media statement that we released in response to this action.
Media Statement
Weaver: Federal government decision to buy Trans Mountain a betrayal
For immediate release
May 29, 2018
VICTORIA, B.C. – Andrew Weaver, leader of the B.C. Green Party, issued the following statement in response to the federal government’s decision to buy the Trans Mountain Pipeline.
“This is a betrayal by a government who ran on a hopeful vision for a better future,” said Weaver.
“A government that promised to end fossil fuel subsidies and to champion the clean economy should not be spending billions of dollars of taxpayer money to buy out a fossil fuel expansion project. We should be investing in growth industries that are clearly where the world is heading. Investing in this pipeline is like investing in the horse and buggy industry at the advent of the car.
“This is a deeply troubling decision on many levels. Canada stands to sacrifice its international reputation, irreplaceable iconic species like the Southern resident Killer Whales, and its commitments to meet its Paris Climate targets and to reconcile with Indigenous people – all while putting enormous risk on Canadian taxpayers.
“It is clear that the world is transitioning away from fossil fuels. The cost of renewable energy continues to fall – solar and wind are already cheaper than coal in many jurisdictions. Last week, a report by Aurora Energy Research projected the adoption of electric vehicles could wipe out $19 trillion in oil revenue. You don’t build infrastructure like this for the next few years – this is built to last for the next 40-50. This is not the infrastructure we need in 10 years and certainly not what we need in 40.”
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Media contact
Jillian Oliver, Press Secretary
+1 778-650-0597 | jillian.oliver@leg.bc.ca
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4 Comments
I agree with everything you said, Mr Weaver. How do we stop this insanity?
Thank you Andrew for your voice of reason. Also, thank you to Elizabeth May for her smart, knowledgeable media responses.
Wondering whether this whole pipeline fiasco has anything to do with NAFTA negotiations and wanting to possibly avoid a legal trade dispute with #KM? Apparently #KM’s current pipeline to Burnaby was valued at $500 million in 2005. So why is it now valued at 4.5 billion?
Almost doubling the national deficit in ONE DAY is not in Canada’s best interestt!
It has done nothing to reduce the risk to our Orca’s, nothing about reducing the risk to our tourism, our fishing and Aquaculture, our boating and pleasure craft, our maritime industry.
The feds bail out foreign oil but still stick it to BC over the English Bay spill.
Thank you for standing up for principal. ABC did that today with Roseanne, and it is exactly the same, right is right, being a good person and being principled is pretty-much, all that is left to us. And in light of the DT’s most people are having right now, right has become ever more important, thank you!