The fate of Enbridge's $5.5-billion Northern Gateway oil pipeline in northern B.C. is at issue in the federal election, as two of the party's in the race are in favour of a moratorium on oil tankers off the northwest coast.
If there was a tanker moratorium -- which is supported by the Liberals and the NDP -- there would be no point in building the 1,170-kilometre pipeline to transport crude from the Alberta oil sands to Kitimat for export to new markets in Asia.
Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff on Friday reiterated his support for the ban during a campaign stop in Ontario for the May 2 election.
Cariboo-Prince George Conservative candidate Dick Harris, the incumbent, is blunt in his assessment of Ignatieff's stand on the tanker moratorium.
"One would have to be both blind and stupid not to see the economic benefits to getting Canada's oil into that huge Asian market," said Harris.
Harris sees spinoffs jobs for the Prince George area.
However, the project has faced an onslaught of opposition from First Nations, environmental groups, some tourism business groups and some northern B.C. communities. The groups say the risks of a tanker or pipeline spill are not worth any economic benefits.
Harris is confident in the pipeline and tanker technology and safety measures being taken by Calgary-based Enbridge, which include the use of double-hull tankers and 24-hour monitoring of the pipeline.
"It's real easy to spread fear: You say, well, you've got oil tankers, there's going to be a spill some day," said Harris. "Well, you know what, in the Bible it says the world is going to end some day too. But that could be a zillion years from now."
Ignatieff announced nearly a year ago a future Liberal government would formally implement an oil tanker moratorium on B.C.'s west coast.
Prince George-Peace River Liberal candidate Ben Levine acknowledged the party's position saying he has concerns about the risk of oil spills and limited long-term job benefits of the project.
However, he said he would like to see the conclusion of a federal review before he takes a position personally on the pipeline project. "I would not rush to support it, but I'm not going to rush to oppose it either," said Levine, a Prince George lawyer and political neophyte.
Prince George-Peace River NDP candidate Lois Boone also opposes the project, saying the project does not create enough permanent jobs for the environmental risks to the North's salmon-bearing rivers.
The project -- because it does not refine the raw bitumen in Canada -- is also shipping jobs out of Canada, said Boone.
"It's the same as shipping raw logs out of this area," she said.
The Green Party is also opposed to the project.
"There's no point in having money in your pocket, if you can't breath or drink the water," said Prince George-Peace River Green candidate Hilary Crowley.
CEO WEIGHS IN
Federal politicians need to realize that the Northern Gateway project will propel Canada into a global energy superpower, says Enbridge president and CEO Pat Daniel.
"As we go into this election campaign, I hope that you will help me explain to our leaders that Canada needs to be a more prominent world player," he told an audience in Toronto.
Despite Canada's vast reserves of oil and gas, it can't be considered a superpower because its exports are focused on one market - the United States, said Daniel.
But he is not concerned that the project could be killed if Conservatives do not hold on to power in the upcoming May election because the project is too important to Canada's energy security, he told reporters after the speech.
- With CP
