NEW DEMOCRATS HOST OIL & WATER FORUM

Community event to focus on offshore oil risks and green alternatives

VICTORIA- In response to overwhelming public concern about the threat posed to BC’s coast by offshore oil exploration and coastal tanker traffic, NDP MP Denise Savoie (Victoria) and NDP MLA Rob Fleming (Victoria-Swan Lake) will hold a public forum in Victoria on Tuesday, June 29th.

“We are witnessing the weakening of government policies for environmental protection at the very time when the public is looking for reassurance that our coasts will be protected,” said Savoie.

As part of the Budget Bill just passed with Liberal support, the Conservative government gutted environmental assessments and passed-off regulation of big oil and gas to the industry-friendly National Energy Board. The BC Liberal government has also cut provincial environmental assessment and continues to push for oil and gas exploration off BC’s coast.

“The public is clearly very concerned about this issue“ said Fleming, Opposition Critic for the Ministry of Environment, “In light of the crisis in the Gulf of Mexico right now we wanted to clarify government policies, that have been confusing and misleading for the public, and provide an opportunity for people to have a meaningful discussion.”

The forum will focus on current federal and provincial policies, renewed threats from Enbridge’s proposal to build a 1,170km pipeline that would carry tar sands crude to be transported by supertankers off our coasts, and the viability of transitioning to sustainable alternative energy sources.

“We want to discuss how the risk that fossil fuels pose to our environment can be mitigated, and explore with the public how we can transition to a cleaner, more efficient economy,” said Savoie.

New Democrats have repeatedly called for an end to exploration and tanker traffic on BC’s North Coast through motions and bills, and recently gained unanimous support in the House of Commons to launch a government-wide review of safety regulations on the development of risky offshore drilling.

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Oil & Water - Stopping Oil Tanker Traffic and Building Sustainable Alternatives will be held Tuesday, June 29, 2010 from 7:00pm - 9:00pm at First Metropolitan United Church - 932 Balmoral Rd.

Denise Savoie MP and Rob Fleming MLA will be joined by guests Will Horter, Executive Director of the Dogwood Initiative, Christianne Wilhelmson, Executive Director of the Georgia Strait Alliance and Susan Howatt, Sierra Club BC Director of Campaigns and Community Engagement.