Vernon Pipeline Protest Draws A Crowd

Written by Peter McIntyre  107.5 KISSFM Wednesday, 24 October 2012 14:30

(P McIntyre photo)

  Signs reading 'BC is not for sale', and 'Say No Mr. PM' were part of a rally in Vernon today, protesting oil pipelines in B-C and tankers along the coast. More than 100 people  took part in the Day of Action outside MLA Eric Fosters office on 31st Avenue, one of 63 demonstrations around the province. One woman told the crowd,  the Kitimat harbour is a dangerous place to run tankers, due to the storms, and narrow passages. "And we are putting 388 tankers a year through that death trap. That's really terrifying. That is going to decimate our fish supply from Kitimat to Bella Bella." Protestor Sarah Armstrong is concerned about China's demand for Canadian oil. "China is buying a lot of our oil. They are the second largest buyer of our oil. We have to think why they are buying our oil. They're also buying it to produce the products we are buying from them. This is a huge thing, and it's about having a local community and buying and thinking local. If we're buying products from China that are petroleum based, then they're going to need our oil and buy our oil, and there's a need for the pipeline." Vernon Monashee Liberal MLA Eric Foster says he agrees with Premier Christy Clark that if Enbridge can't meet the safety concerns, the project won't happen. "I realize the folks that are demonstrating, they want it just shut down right away, and I think that's a little short sighted. I think we need to take a real good look at it to make sure they're able to meet those concerns," Foster told Kiss FM while on a ferry travelling to Victoria. Foster says just saying no could taint BC to other potential investors. "If we were just to offhandedly, like the NDP want to do, say 'No you can't build it,' who would even look at investing in our province after that?" Organizer Dianne Perrier was pleased with the turnout, adding they also marched to M-P Colin Mayes' office. Today's rallies were a follow up to Monday's event outside the BC Legislature where more than 3,000 people protested the Northern Gateway pipeline.