Decision to increase oil tanker traffic a 'slap in the face' to First Nations
by Wilderness Committee
One hundred and thirty indigenous bands have now signed the Save the
Fraser Declaration which, using their laws under their sovereign rights,
bans tar sands oil exports through their territory.
"Yesterday's decision to allow increased tanker traffic in Burrard
Inlet is a slap in the face of the First Nations people in this province
and to the vast majority of the general public who do not support oil
exports through BC," said Ben West, Healthy Communities Campaigner with
the Wilderness Committee.
British Columbians are overwhelmingly opposed to oil tankers off the
coast and increased oil moving through pipelines across BC.
A 2008 poll
conducted regarding the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline and
associated tanker traffic showed 80% of the population oppose oil
tankers off the coast. This year a poll of Metro Vancouver residents was
conducted, showing that only 31% supported pipeline expansion.
"This whole process has been fundamentally undemocratic and clearly
violates the wishes of the indigenous people whose unceded land it
impacts," said West. "Since Kinder Morgan bought the Trans Mountain
Pipeline they have been actively transforming the Burrard Inlet into an
export facility instead of us simply servicing local consumption. This
never should have been allowed to happen without the consent of the
First Nations people and the people of BC".
Kinder Morgan has stated publicly that next they intend to expand
their pipeline capacity from 300,000 barrels a day to 700,000 barrels a
day which would result in an increase to 280 tankers a year in the
Inlet. Before Kinder Morgan bought the pipeline there was 20 crude oil
tankers in the Inlet in 2005. Last year there were 79 tankers in Burrard
Inlet. The current decision shifts how much of the oil traveling
through the pipeline is used for export, as opposed to other local uses,
which will mean increases to tanker traffic of at least another 10
tankers a year.
"This decision is an insult, because of the timing of this
announcement, but we knew this was where the federal government was
headed. The lack of oversight and democratic decision making under the
Harper government has been truly appalling," said West.
"To say the least this fight is far from over, and yesterday's
events showed the growing support and unity that opponents of tar sands
expansion in BC have," said West. "We will not stop until BC recognizes
the First Nations' legal ban on oil exports."
