Editor:
John Weston’s “PMO talking points” letter to the editor (July 11) begs responses, which could fill these pages. I will take up only one point.
Weston alludes to the party’s high environmental standards, but in 2012 his government repealed the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, replacing it with much weaker laws that play directly into corporate oil hands.
In addition, responsibility for overseeing the regulations now falls to the National Energy Board. Yes, we are talking of the same “independent” board that ignored 97 per cent of the scientific evidence presented to it, and approved the pipeline.
Their 209 “conditions” consist mainly of requiring companies to submit paper reports and plans. Weston’s stance ignores the growing pile of evidence that shows wildlife would not survive an oil spill, our multi-billion-dollar tourism industry would lie in ruins, our waters would remain polluted for years in spite of his earnest concern for potential “environmental offenders.” We have all seen how the people and environment bear the burden of oil spills on land and sea.
Our hope for rejection of the pipeline lies in the higher courts of this country, which have been challenging the directions of our ruling party lately.
Gail Riddell, Sechelt
