Re: Untangling oil pipeline politics, (B.C. Views, Nov. 13)
I read Tom Fletcher’s column with interest, given his strong record on pipeline commentary.
His outlook is bleak. Aside from aboriginal consultation requirements (which exist independent of Premier Christy Clark’s five conditions), this pipeline can be built whether B.C. agrees to it or not.
B.C. gave up its right to have a say on federal-provincial environmental reviews when it signed the Equivalency Agreement in 2010. With that signature, B.C. agreed to abide by National Energy Board decisions.
With the changes in respect to the environment at the national level, perhaps it is time for B.C. to withdraw from the Equivalency Agreement.
The question for Mr. Fletcher – what is the last date at which B.C. can withdraw from the Equivalency Agreement in order that the Northern Gateway would then require a B.C. environmental review?
If Fletcher is right and B.C.’s “five conditions” will have absolutely no effect on the outcome given the current environmental review mechanisms, should B.C. not be establishing conditions under which it can have some control over pipeline environmental rules?
Brent Beach
Victoria