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BC can 'politically refuse' Enbridge, Kinder Morgan projects: enviros

In advance of tonight's B.C. leader's debate, one leading environmental group called on Premier Christy Clark to make clear the Liberal stance on oil sands pipelines.

"[It's] Clark's last chance to reveal her position in front of all British Columbians," Dogwood Initiative campaigns director Eric Swanson told a press conference Monday morning.

The subtext: By doing so she would also reveal whether her ruling Liberals are willing to stand up to Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

"B.C. has the power to politically refuse" Enbridge's Northern Gateway project and Kinder Morgan's pipeline expansion, Swanson added. "If the premier of B.C. makes a decision against these projects, it's unlikely the prime minister is going to push them over an unwilling province."

Both proposals are layered with political meaning. Increased oil tanker traffic, and the pipelines that would enable it, are localized environmental issues.

Yet each would support increased oil sands development, carbon emissions growth and the publicly stated policy vision of Harper's Conservative government.

Harper's vision in turn is supported by two controversial pieces of federal legislation, Bill C-38 and Bill C-45, which some First Nations believe have eroded their peoples' autonomy.

Indeed, Squamish Nation Chief Ian Campbell told the Monday press conference that Harper's agenda, as exemplified by those bills, consists of "superimposing" a "western model" of economic development on First Nations "in places that are sacred to us."

Premier Clark has promised only to support Northern Gateway if the project meets five conditions she first announced last summer, one of which involves greater financial remuneration for B.C.

Her Liberals have not made a definitive statement about Kinder Morgan, yet have criticized NDP Leader Adrian Dix for his apparent opposition to the project.

Clark goes into tonight's debate 22 percentage points less popular than Dix, suggests new polling data from Justason Market Intelligence. The Tyee will be live-blogging the debate. Click here for more details.

Geoff Dembicki reports for The Tyee.


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