Shipping unprocessed oilsands products through the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline will hurt the Canadian economy, according to three labour unions who filed final arguments with the National Energy Board.
The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP), the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) and the United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union (UFAWU) are all calling on the Joint Review Panel examining the pipeline's environmental assessment to recommend against approval.
In separate filings, the unions all argued that more should be done to explore refining opportunities in Canada rather than shipping raw bitumen to Asia.
"Upon analysis and scrutiny, Enbridge's evidence does not reveal any significant benefits for Canadians if the Northern Gateway Project is approved," the AFL wrote. "At best, the economic benefits suggested will last one to two years. The economic benefits of the Northern Gateway project pale in comparison to the long-term sustained benefits that would occur if the bitumen were to be upgraded and refined in Canada such that finished oil products are sold to export markets."
The CEP expressed concerns about how the pipeline, which aims to connect Alberta's oilsands with B.C.'s north coast, will impact refineries in eastern Canada.
"The Northern Gateway Project will exacerbate problems that have already created an unfavourable market for Canadian upgrading and refining in Alberta and Eastern Canada and for this reason cannot be considered to be in the public interest," the union wrote in its final argument.
(Editor's note: unionized staff at the Prince George Citizen are also represented by the CEP).
In addition to its concerns about the economy as a whole, the fishermen's union also took issue with how the construction and operation of the pipeline could put pressure on fish stocks.
"The commercial fishing industry is a leading economic generator for British Columbia and there
should be recognition that environmental effects of the pipeline and tanker traffic, including
accidents and malfunctions, will lead to social and economic consequences for the commercial
fishing industry and northwest communities," the union wrote. "This Joint Review process cannot be deemed to be fair if the potential of the socio-economic impacts on the commercial fishing industry are not properly accounted for."
