I am very concerned about the erosion of our democracy. One aspect of this is the upcoming plebiscite to be held in Kitimat. Enbridge seems to have a bottomless pit of money, which it is using to blast the airwaves and media about how wonderful life will be after Enbridge has built its pipeline and tanker route through our pristine forests and rivers and then the tortuous journey through the Douglas Channel and Hecate Strait.
How can the average concerned citizen compete with this corporate greed?
I am particularly concerned regarding the upcoming plebiscite in Kitimat, scheduled for April 12th, where temporary residents who have been there for 30 days or more, are allowed to vote on whether they want the Enbridge pipeline but the Haisla First Nation, who live in Kitimaat Village are not allowed to vote. How weighted is that? Most of the temporary residents are there for the construction jobs related to the oil and gas industry whereas the Haisla have declared their opposition to the proposed Enbridge pipeline. Their exclusion is wrong from a democratic standpoint as well as from an inigenous rights perspective.
Our ex-mayor and other high-ranking Enbridge officials are currently going door to door in Kitimat pushing their agenda. Presumably these guys are on the payroll or at least expense account but environmentalists and other concerned citizens are donating their time and efforts to protect our coast, wildlife and tourism and fishing interests. This is not a fair playing field.
How the JRP gave approval for this pipeline amidst the huge outcry against it, is cause for concern. Even more concerning is the declared interests of the Harper Conservative government in pushing this agenda forward with their decision expected this Summer. It is the citizens of north central BC who are the stewards of this area who need to protect our resources for future generations. This is not a time for complacency. We must stand up for this beautiful land and the generations to come as well as the wildlife.
Hilary Crowley
Prince George
