Gregor Robertson makes pipeline fight key part of re-election campaign
New Vision environmental platform puts opposition to Trans Mountain
Pipeline a top priority
Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson is making opposition to Kinder Morgan's oil
pipeline expansion a key plank in his party's re-election strategy.
Robertson outlined his position at a news conference Sunday as Vision
Vancouver released its new environment platform entitled A Greener City.
"The risk from an oil spill, even a minor one, would have a significant
impact on Vancouver’s economy and our environment," says the
document.
"Our economic advantage is Vancouver’s pristine natural environment. It
attracts talent and investment from around the world. The Kinder Morgan
pipeline expansion puts all of it at risk — with no benefit to Vancouver."
British Columbia municipalities go to the polls on Nov. 15 and Robertson and
Vision Vancouver's environmental platform make Trans Mountain's expansion
proposal a top priority.
Robertson says opposing the pipeline will be one of the choices voters
will make on election day.
Under Robertson, the city has asked the Federal Court of Appeal for a
judicial review of the federal energy regulator's process, saying the National
Energy Board is refusing to consider Trans Mountain's impact on global climate
change.
The $5.4-billion project would almost triple the capacity of the current
pipeline linking the Alberta oil sands to Port Metro Vancouver, increasing flow
from 300,000 barrels of oil a day to almost 900,000.
Robertson's main rival for the city's top job — former journalist Kirk
LaPointe — has not taken a position on the Kinder Morgan project, and
criticized Robertson for declaring his opposition before a National Energy
Board review is complete.
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