Cariboo-Prince George MP Dick Harris is going against the flow in the Northern Gateway pipeline debate.
While pipeline opponents have eagerly pointed to spills and leaks long Enbridge's North American pipeline network as reasons not to proceed with Northern Gateway, Harris is extolling the energy giant's safety features.
"If you have a look at what they're proposing and promising, you will find that these steps go far beyond global industry standards," the Conservative MP said in a phone interview. "I think this a very clear indication that Enbridge has listened to the concerns and said, 'OK we hear you, here's what we're going to do.'"
Enbridge is hoping to build a $6 billion heavy oil pipeline from Alberta's oil sands to Kitimat, but has run into fierce opposition from environmental, First Nations and community groups along the proposed route.
Harris said although any spills are a concern, he said the company has learned from prior incidents and pointed to the $400 million to $500 million worth of increased safety measures Enbridge announced last month.
"Sure an oil spill is not a nice thing, that's for sure," he said. "But if you look over the years how many billions of drums of oil they've put through their lines -- I think the number released the other day was 99.9 per cent of oil passed through their pipeline safely."
Josh DeLeenher, a member of a local group opposed to the plan said Harris' comments are out of line and called the federal government "an unpaid proponent of the plan."
"It's discouraging," said DeLeenher, a member of the Sea to Sands Conservation Alliance. "I have concerns when a government, whose role it is to act as a regulator, takes on a very different type of role acting as a proponent for a project."
Harris doesn't think his comments will have sway over the National Energy Board's Joint Review Panel and said the environmental review process remains independent.
"The review process is my opinion is very fair and unbiased," he said. "If I was able to influence, believe me the Taseko mine would be up and running by now. I don't think they'll be listening to Dick Harris when it comes to making the environmental review process decisions."
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency rejected a plan by Taseko Mines in 2010 to open an open pit gold and copper mine near Williams Lake and is currently reviewing a revised proposal.
DeLeenher remains unconvinced Enbridge is doing enough to build a safe pipeline through Northern B.C. He cited a major spill in Michigan in 2010 and a subsequent report by the Transportation Safety Board in the United States which criticized the company's safety practices.
