Hon. G. Abbott: It's always interesting to listen to the opposition and some of the positions that they take. We heard the other day in the Legislature that the outcome of every environmental assessment process should be consent by all parties before any economic activity could proceed on the land base in British Columbia. Now I am hearing this member say that Enbridge should not even talk to First Nations. They shouldn't have an opportunity to explain their project. They shouldn't have an opportunity to explore the possibilities of that project with First Nations in the province.
I find this an extraordinary example of a kind of destructive paternalism on the part of the opposition — that they won't even have industry talk to First Nations. Apparently, these members are prepared to submit their judgment on this important project for important consideration by First Nations. That is an astonishing assertion and an unfortunate one, indeed, from a First Nations perspective.
R. Fleming: The minister should know that Enbridge and First Nations in British Columbia have talked and talked for six years, and First Nations have said no to the project definitively today.
The Enbridge pipeline would make an oil spill on B.C.'s pristine north coast outside the Great Bear rain forest an accident waiting to happen. That's been predicted time and time again. That's the conclusion of a recent study by 12 scientists that took five years and studied 14,000 kilometres of our coast. When a significant oil spill occurs, it could eradicate killer whales. It could exterminate 150 species of marine mammals and birds on our coast. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]
My question is to the Premier. It's the 21st anniversary of the Exxon Valdez spill off the Alaskan coast today. Will he stand up and reject the oil sands pipeline today?
Hon. G. Campbell: Enbridge has a proposal…
Hon. G. Campbell: …which is going through a process. That process will include consultation with First Nations. It will include consultation with all those First Nations individually. It will include the most rigorous environmental regime there is anywhere in North America, and it potentially could include billions of dollars of investment, thousands of jobs for people across the north, particularly for First Nations, and build the capacity for First Nations that they've been asking us to build for a number of years now. All of that will be done within an environmental framework that is secure for the long-term future of British Columbia, First Nations and non–First Nations alike. [1410]
The way that you actually move to a successful conclusion of these is to include First Nations, talk to them directly, talk about the benefits that they may have, talk about their concerns and see if there is an answer. If there's an answer, it will proceed. If there is not an answer, it will not proceed.
Mr. Speaker: Member has a supplemental.
R. Fleming: Well, I think we've heard from the Premier on what comes ahead of First Nations and the environment, and it's Enbridge. In October a freighter ran aground in the same channel that is proposed for supertankers. The Queen of the North sank in these very waters four years ago, and Enbridge now proposes to move 525,000 barrels a day of tar sands oil — oil with three times the greenhouse gas emissions of conventional crude.
Maybe the Premier would like to hear the science on this. Environment Canada lists the Douglas Channel and the north coast interior passages as the fourth most dangerous in the world. The risk of human error, the harsh weather — those things can't ever be taken care of by the Premier's assurances that we've just heard.
Again to the Premier: will he reject this unacceptable risk to B.C.'s environment and say no to the Enbridge pipeline?
Hon. G. Campbell: Well, let me tell you this. I accept jobs for First Nations people across this province that will build the capacity they've been calling for, for generation after generation. I accept a rigorous environmental assessment process, which every major project in British Columbia and Canada must go through.
Evidently, that is unlike the opposition, who reject environmental assessment, who yesterday rejected wind power, who have rejected the benefits of reducing carbon across the province, across the environment.
This is a time to reach out to First Nations, to talk about opportunities and how we actually create economic opportunity within the framework of a sound environmental and scientific policy. That's what we intend to do, and that's how we'll build the future for First Nations in British Columbia and for all British Columbians.
Mr. Speaker: Members. Members.
D. Donaldson: Well, the fact is there are absolutely no long-lasting jobs associated with the Enbridge pipeline, and that's why the First Nations of the north are unanimously opposed to this project. Experts in the shipping and pipeline sectors say, "You move oil; you'll spill oil," and this Enbridge project will spill oil.
My question is to the Premier. Ecotourism, hunting and fishing are major economic drivers in my region. That is why 45 businesses, most of them located….
Mr. Speaker: Members. Members.
D. Donaldson: Ecotourism, hunting and fishing are major economic drivers in my region. That is why 45 businesses, most of them located in the northwest, have signed on to a declaration opposing the Enbridge pipeline.
My question is to the Premier. Will he show his commitment to sustainable local development by standing in the House today and saying no to the Enbridge tar sands pipeline?
Hon. G. Campbell: There's no question that the opposition will say no to anything — any opportunity for investment, any opportunity for jobs, any opportunity for economic development. That opposition has said no year in and year out for almost a decade and a half.
Here's what we have said quite clearly. We believe in economic and environmental assessments. We believe in wind power. We believe in new independent power projects.
To that member opposite, his constituents call our offices and come to us every single day and say: "Please provide us with jobs, encourage investment and do it with First Nations." We will work with First Nations.
Unlike the opposition, I can guarantee the member opposite this. We will work with First Nations, we will work with community leaders, and we will generate investment in jobs that meets our environmental objectives in British Columbia.
