This project is detrimental to our environment and the orcas and the balance of life that we depend on to stay healthy and whole. Stop thinking so short term… what will the world look like in 2p0 uears if you go ahead with this pipeline project and pollute our coast? Will your grandchildren be able to eat and drink clean water. Will we be able to swim in the ocean up in desolation sound where so many island communities depend on the dish and all the bounty the ocean offers.
Sheila Harrington
General Delivery, Lasqueti Island, BC V0R 2J0
Email is [email protected]
November 20, 2018
National Energy Board
210-517 Tenth Avenue
Calgary, Alberta
T2R 0A8
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:
This is my third time of sending in comments to this board. Each time I say less because your terms of reference continue to dwindle down. This is not applicable to the real world and to the complex realities the interrelatedness shown by physics and ecology, nor is it conscienceable, especially considering the 12 year window that the scientists of the world have said we have to turn our culture around and stop producing carbon and pollutants. This is worse than a world war in its impacts, as if we continue or increase our use of fossil fuels, our planet, its people, your children, and all wildlife are at risk of survival.
First about the marine environment and the endangered southern resident orcas.
In Washington State, they have created an emergency task force to address the threats to these endangered species. “A governor’s task force published a new draft report Wednesday outlining options to help save beleaguered southern resident orcas. The report offers 36 draft recommendations. Most are centered on three broad initiatives: To increase the abundance of chinook salmon — orcas’ favorite food, to reduce noise and disturbance from sea vessels and to reduce orcas’ exposure to harmful pollutants.”
The increase in tankers travelling through Burrard Inlet (which has been reviewed by David Huntley and found on the NEB site (from double to apx. 5 times currently,) from the twinned/new federal/Kinder Morgan pipeline transiting through BC’s coast is right in the endangered orca’s habitat. This increase in vessel traffic will inhibit and reduce Southern Resident Orca communications with each other, their ability to echo-locate their food – salmon, and will likely increase pollution (both sound and particulate) in their habitat. This increase will impact local traffic in the inlet, the two bridges that must be transited, and through the busy Vancouver Harbour, then through the tidal and strong currents found in the Georgia and Juan de Fuca Straits. As Huntley (op cit) has described, the impacts within the Burrard Inlet itself will be significant to other marine, train and local traffic. However, the impacts in the marine areas outside of the harbour have not been thoroughly investigated, despite the City of Victoria, and The State of Washington’s written opposition to the project and its likely impacts on the marine environment and economy of these areas.
The risk of spills is far too high to allow this new pipeline and increased terminal with the increase of tankers going through Burrard Inlet and off of a major city to proceed. Furthermore, no investigations of the behavior of spilled diluted bitumen has determined that it will in fact float, so no clean up is possible. Although the shipping and insurance industry reports on spills shows a descrease in spills in the last decade, there have been three in the last five years in the BC coast due to human error. In addition, In “the period 1970 to 2017, 50% of large spills occurred while the vessels were underway in open water; allisions, collisions and groundings accounted for 59% of the causes of these spills. Perhaps unsurprisingly, these same causes account for an even higher percentage of incidents when the vessel was underway in inland or restricted waters, being linked to some 99% of spills.” As the tankers will travel in inland waters, and no clean up of diluted bitumen has been proven, the risk is far too high to justify this project’s approval.
Secondly about the consultation with First Nations:
There is NOT approval of this pipeline throughout BC by First Nations. Now in BC we have a government mandated education system which requires that BC teachers (like myself) include information on the travesty of justice that has occurred to indigenous people in our country because they have not been properly consulted or given their rights to title and use of land. There is no consent for this pipeline and terminal and increase in tanker traffic by BC’s First Nations, except for a few individuals. The Union of BC Indian Chiefs is totally against this project.
Furthermore, at their recent Oct 2018 Annual General Assembly they reiterated that the federal governments Feb, 2018 Overview of new relationship discussions, is flawed: WHEREAS on February 14, 2018, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Canada’s intention to embark on a nation-wide engagement strategy to discuss the development of a new Recognition and Implementation of Rights Framework (RIRF). Specifically, the Prime Minister stated:
“For too long, Indigenous Peoples in Canada have had to prove their rights exist and fight to have them recognized and fully implemented. To truly renew the relationship between Canada and Indigenous Peoples, the Government of Canada must make the recognition and implementation of
rights the basis for all relations between Indigenous Peoples and the federal government…[A]s a starting point, it should include new legislation and policy that will make the recognition and implementation of rights the basis for relations between Indigenous peoples and the federal government going forward”
Although the climate change impacts of this project for some illogical reason are excluded from this review, it will be your and all of our own children and grandchildren who inherit this planet that has and will be impacted by your decisions about this project! We must turn things around, and the exclusion of this aspect to the “new” NEB review is deeply flawed. May you be able to look your grandchildren in the eye with self-respect because you said NO to this project.
Thank you, Sheila Harrington, Lasqueti Island, BC V0R 2J0
The pipeline is an ecological travesty and the various levels of government have completely abrogated their responsibilities to hold fair and comprehensive hearings for the approval.
Ken Moren commented
2018-11-16 23:57:19 -0800
I appended the following to the provided fax message:
World Environmental Concerns
As a signatory to the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change mitigation, Canada is obliged to do her part in bringing down greenhouse gas emissions. Continuing to produce and market one of the dirtiest fossil fuel products in the world, where such production itself involves the emission of massive amounts of said greenhouse gases is absolutely contrary to the spirit and letter of the agreement and calls into question the honesty and integrity of our great nation.
This pipeline, if completed will more firmly put us in the position of being part of the problem rather than the solution. Approval of this project will be an unconscionable act, one that will negatively reflect Canada’s apparent commitment to climate change mitigation.
Douglas Jackson commented
2018-11-16 17:24:23 -0800
Dear NEB and government representatives,
Respond by fax only? Well this is not starting out well.
It would appear that your first step in the legal requirement for meaningful consultation has been to limit or thwart public input. I am not sure who made this decision, but it certainly does not bolster public confidence in the legally required process.
Consent from the Coastal First Nations of the Salish Sea has not been granted for the Trans Mountain pipeline and tanker project. Without that consent, Canada does not have the right to build Trans Mountain.
A vast number of Canadian’s do not support further investment in fossil fuel infrastructure and see it as a threat, not only to British Columbia’s land and coastal waters, but to increasing climate change concerns and a step in the wrong direction, financially, morally and detrimental to the entire planet.
Economic considerations placed above all else is short sighted and will never be acceptable to First Nations or concerned citizens. The process the NEB has been instructed by government to conduct can never be made to appear anything other than what it is, a bad idea in the wrong place and at the wrong time.
Sincerely,
Reply
Forward
Artemis Fire commented
2018-11-16 16:29:06 -0800
NEB members: i urge you to stop the plan for the Transmoubtain pipeline, to ensure that real consultation and genuine Indigenous consent happens, that the massive threats to the Southern Resident killer whales is addressed, and that the best interest of all life on the Westcoast is valued and protected.
Kirsten Ebsen commented
2018-11-16 13:46:12 -0800
We know that KM has not stopped working on Burnaby mountain although the public has been led to believe the work is on hold. They are building more roads across the tank farm, have built a second security fence around the first one and are raising more pylons at water’s edge. All signs that major protests are in store. How naïve to think that the battle was won, or that reason and common sense will prevail. Our country is run by big oil and pharmaceutical companies – our politicians may as well spend their days at their golf courses!
Janey Warren commented
2018-11-14 17:34:02 -0800
Dear NEB, well where does one begin with such an unjust and corrupt system.
It is obvious that your oversight and environmental track record are completely flawed.
I need to understand how your oversight and utter mismanagement of your resource sector should somehow fall on the backs of FN and BC coastal communities. Plus, every community in its path.
I need to understand why you are not going after multi national companies for their reckless disregard of your province and your citizens land, resources and clean up costs. To the tune of billions of dollars.
Quite frankly, whom ever has had oversight of your resource sector should be arrested and tried for crimes against your province and humanity.
BC and FN are not your sacrificial lamb for your complete mismanagement of your resource sector. It is not up to us to bail you out when you guys are the ones who are and were completely incompetent.
You should have planned and saved for a rainy day. You should have planned for clean up costs/orphanaged wells and tailing ponds. Instead of leaving the good people of AB and Canada on the hook for your unbelievable mistakes. While these multi billion dollar corporations bleed our country dry and walked away laughing all the way to the bank.
We will never allow this reckless dangerous project to proceed with out using every available resource we have to STOPTMX.
BC and FN have zero confidence in your abilities to oversee such an enormous operation due to your failed history of your disastrous resource sector.
Regards, Jane E. LeBreton
Andrew Atrens commented
2018-11-14 11:49:21 -0800
This fax thing would be hilarious if it wasn’t so sad. Is the ‘culture’ of the NEB to blame for this nonsense? If so a change in government and tweaking of its mandate won’t make the new sausages it grinds out taste any better than those old ones. :(
Gerald Michel commented
2018-11-14 11:31:43 -0800
"
Our effectiveness in the Environmental battle has been increased as courts have recognized our legal status on our Aboriginal Title lands. The recognition of our Aboriginal title on Delgamuukw allows us to challenge the most irresponsible types of development in courts. In fact, Delgamuukw gives us a legal duty to protect the land since, according to the Supreme Court. the only way we could lose our Aboriginal title is if we engage in activity on the land that destroys our ecosystem economy for the future generations."
Judy Sadoway commented
2018-11-14 11:29:39 -0800
The Trudeau government has been relying on a numbers game to support its response to climate change. Whales do not compute numbers —at least not in human “carbon tax” terms. When they are gone, they are gone. We, the people, must join with our Indigenous leaders to save and sustain what makes this land unique, precious and healthy.
Betty Rowland followed this page
2018-10-04 14:45:33 -0700
David Cherubin commented
2018-10-04 10:10:47 -0700
Stop the pipeline for the good of the land, the people of Canada and Mother Earth. Stop giving in to greed and stupidity for the sake of the oil companies. The pipeline was bought with the people’s money, do what the people want and shut it down.
Claire Ryder commented
2018-10-04 08:46:38 -0700
Justinyou could be a hero and put an end to old fossil fuel usage, and take those dollars and put them toward making alternative energy affordable. Then you certainly would go down in history as a leader…a good leader.
Darryl Taylor commented
2018-10-03 22:22:45 -0700
Somethings to remember, that maybe not everyone is clear on.
The people in favour of the pipelines and increased traffic are responding to an inertia that to some degree or another, we are all a part of. Our most casual small choices that increase the demand for oil for packaging for something that we eat and don’t think about again, need to be visualized as happening 8 billion times at once.
We need to actively be reducing the demand for oil, changing our own lives first, and then leading by example.
With that, we do not have need to destroy ourselves with guilt or revert to an archaic lifestyle that most of us, honestly, would suck at.
Among the proponents for more oil flow, many or even most of them are familiar with the data on climate change, and generally believe it. They are not evil.
They do, however, believe that it is inevitable, that they have no blame for going along with the God of Free Markets, and either are resigned to the possible ending of life and civilization as we know it, or are making plans for themselves and their favoured people and house pets to survive.
The rest of us?
Well…
Those people are crazy.
So are we, and everyone we see in the street.
This world has made us crazy, to a degree we have cooperated, and continue to do so every time we casually push someone else closer to craziness.
The people relying on the pipelines to feed their families are generally just decent people like presumably we mostly are, playing with the hand dealt to them.
We can’t stop fighting the pipeline, we need to not soften an inch more than we have to in order to find solid footing to resist.
But if we are actively looking for ways that the perceived need for the pipeline and it’s oil can be reduced, we are also fighting the fights of 10, 15, and 25 years from now.
For the generations.
Leanne Brown commented
2018-10-03 22:03:53 -0700
I want the NEB to think about the fact that there is a BC Ferry at the bottom of the ocean right now. I’ve lived on the BC coast for 40 years and I never thought that would happen. An accident in perfect weather conditions, with the best trained crew working under the best labour standards. Due to simple inattention. That’s all it took. Bitumen at the bottom of the ocean cannot happen!
Also, what hasn’t been made clear enough is that every single Coastal First Nation near where the tankers would be traveling opposes the TMX expansion. Every single one of them. That should be enough. Their fishery, their other food sources, the use of their traditional territories is threatened in a way that is completely unacceptable. The risk is far too high for any profit to Alberta or shareholders.
Jim Ervin commented
2018-10-03 20:54:23 -0700
I want to know why raw Bituman is not being refined in Alberta before being brought to the B.C. Coast. Could it be that the Chinese investors don’t want it refined in Canada because they want to do it themselves in their own refineries and steal jobs away from Canadians in Alberta? Today we heard from Jason Kenny that some of this raw Bituman will also be going to a huge refinery in India. More loist jobs for Canadians.
Shame on you Mr. Trudeau for forcing this pipeline out into the most narrow Inlet in the lower mainland. Where there is no way of escape for all Vancouver residents. How dare you poison our waterways. Are you not listening to our professors, our Burnaby Fire Cheif. You know that this Inlet cannot accommodate a 700 % percent increase in tanker traffic. Dodging the sea buses as people make their way to work everyday. Putting down anti spawning salmon nets in our waters. Messing with Mother Nature for a bad deal. Killing our whales. Eventually killing our tourist industry. Emencly disrespecting First Nations lands and way of life. My grandchildren’s future is here and how dare you threaten their health! My life is short but theirs are just beginning!!
You lied to us here in BC. No one will forget you or forgive you for your shady tactics! Find another place to wreak havoc in because you and your losing billions of dollars deal is not wanted hear.
Your children will hear of what you did and if I was a father I would be ashamed!!!
Tracy Lollie commented
2018-10-03 19:31:28 -0700
Shame on Trudeau and his corrupt NEB for using another tactic, outdated faxing plus a short timeline for the public to comment on this corrupt project.
As scientists and economists have already stated and proven, the claim that Canada needs to expand the tar sands to pass bitumen through B.C.’s coast to allow the export of toxic bitumen, as a way make the transition to clean energy, is completely false.
There’s 2 sides of that coin. One side gathers the evidence using scientists and economists that haven’t been corrupted, paid by government or industry to spin a fabrication of the truth; which is the other side of the coin. Corruption based.
Those of us that follow Robyn Allan, Kennedy Stewart, Mark Eliesen, Elizabeth May, Andrew Weaver, Nathan Cullen, just to name a few, are more than researched as to what was falsified to pass a project based on backroom deals and Regulatory Capture to benefit a few.
Regulatory Capture, pays. Carefully and quietly mind you.
This dangerous to human life and the environment project has only reached fruition because of government corruption. Greed. It pays top officials with private interests, and denies all the science against it in order to pass it.
Below points, EG: Only 12 reasons showing the corruption behind this project and there’s a lot more than 12:>
1) Kills endangered species, eco systems land and marine.
==
2) People Who Live Downwind Of Alberta’s Oil And Tar Sands Operations Are Getting Blood Cancer.
The area saw concentrations of some chemicals that were higher than levels in Mexico City during the 1990s, when it was the most polluted city on the planet. Levels of some volatile organic compounds — which, depending on the compound, have been linked to liver, kidney and central nervous system damage as well as cancer — were 6,000 times higher than normal.
4) Puts Burnaby residents in danger due to the high probability of a tank farm explosion. To which the Burnaby Fire Chief has said, the logistics make it almost impossible to evacuate residents and SFU students off of the mountain.
==
5) Canadian Association of Physicians for the environment (CAPE):>
Excerpt:> Locally, there is the potential for a catastrophic fire on Burnaby Mountain due to the proposed increased storage tank density. It is also still unknown how spilled diluted bitumen could effectively be cleaned up, and health risks of a spill include mental health impacts, cultural impacts for local Indigenous communities, respiratory illness, and potentially increased long-term risks of acute myeloid leukemia for community members exposed to volatile diluents.
15,000 jobs, are actually 6 X’s the number of temporary construction jobs that KM presented in it’s National Energy Board application. And, it will only create 90 permanent jobs.
KM’s Ian Anderson admitted he only hires temp foreign workers, meaning ALL the workers contracted for the Kinder Morgan construction jobs are actually for only 2000 – 3000 TEMPORARYFOREIGNWORKERS. MLA Gord Johns explains 100,000 B.C.ers depend on clean oceans for their jobs.
The 15,000 jobs number comes from a fantastical calculation based on the doubling of the amount of construction time, this proposed pipeline is allowed to take. The pipeline is supposed to be constructed over 2 years, but the job number comes from a 4 year construction period. Economist Robyn Allan therefore calls the 15,000 jobs number a scam.
7) KINDERMORGANEXAGGERATEDPIPELINEJOB #‘s — By altering the time horizon and renaming the nature of the employment to characterize it as something it is not, illustrates how Kinder Morgan’s 15,000 construction workforce figure is meaningless and was manipulated to show it would produce 80% more jobs than it can. When asked, Trudeau’s office staff refused to reply back how the original figures their boss relies on was developed.
Robin Allyn, 1 of 2 ex pipeline intervenor’s who quit the pipe review concluding “disturbingly the outcome was predetermined”, investigated and found the formula Kinder Morgan used to come up with their exaggerated job numbers. The Conference Board based its estimate on an Input Output model which — because of its many design flaws — delivers highly exaggerated results. In depth explanation in article.
8) Intervenor Mark Eliesen realizing the approval process was fraudulent:>
Excerpt:> Unfortunately, I have come to the conclusion that the Board, through its decisions, is engaged in a public deception. Continued involvement with this process is a waste of time and effort, and represents a disservice to the public interest because it endorses a fraudulent process.
I have a professional background that includes over 40 years of experience in senior executive positions in the energy sector of Canada, and an understanding and working knowledge of the mandate and operations of the National Energy Board, including an appreciation of the principles of natural justice and the rules and practices of quasijudicial bodies in Canada. I have reached my conclusions based on my wealth of experience.
9) Linda Duncan – B.C.’s Endangered Orca. It seems, as far as the Canadian federal government is concerned one can kill orca AND taxpayers through carcinogenic toxic tar sands emissions. Kill whatever you need to kill to pass a corrupt project.
Alberta’s NDP MP Linda Duncan addressing the house stating the National Energy Board heard clear SCIENTIFICEVIDENCE a 7 fold increase in tanker traffic through the Salish Sea “would deliver a near certain extinction for our southern resident killer whale pod.” 1 min video. They call that a SIDEEFFECT of the expansion.
10) This next article is “can we clean bitumen?” Here’s an excerpt:>
Excerpt:> Canada’s premier scientific academy, the Royal Society of Canada, concluded that we lack the science to know if it is possible to clean-up dilbit. The NEB ruled that accepting the Royal Society study of would be unfair to Kinder Morgan.
Excerpt:. The First Nations groups have seized upon a report in the online publication The National Observer, which published e-mails from government officials, obtained under the Access to Information Act, that suggest Ottawa was consulting with First Nations after having already determined it would approve the project.
“It appears the Trudeau government entered into this process with an end goal in mind, without engaging First Nations, without consulting us or many other First Nations along the pipeline route that would be affected,” Khelsilem said.
12) What’s in Bitumen? Why is Canada’s federal government hiding this?
Excerpt:>
Yet officials in Washington State’s Department of Natural Resources voiced grievous doubts in internal memos dated January 2017. “What is frustrating is … tar sand oil manufacturers’ lack of transparency on what is used for diluents and those diluent properties, which in my mind (alludes) to dishonesty,” wrote the state’s oil spill response coordinator.
There’s so incredibly much more that illustrates how corrupt this project is.
SHAME ON JUSTINTRUDEAUANDANYONEPUSHINGTHISDANGEROUSCORRUPTPROJECT while hiding all the science proving this project is harmful to human life, wildlife, our air, water, land.
The list of 1-12 are only a tip of the iceburg proving this project is corrupt.
Canadians in opposition to the Kinder Morgan expansion are telling you to stop this harmful destructive project that was only passed due to Government Corruption and Regulatory Capture.
Justin Trudeau and peers are every bit an embarrassment to this country as is any politician, regardless of party, that is an industry shill working for private interests and corporations, but NOT the Canadian people.
People are every bit as intelligent as those that are pushing for this project. We’re just fed up with corrupt white collar criminal government officials, whose toxic projects make taxpayers sick, damage resources and eco systems, only to line the pockets of a few; that have to push harmful unnecessary projects to line them. We’ve got money for clean energy. But not when it’s going offshore (Paradise Papers), or used to buy 60 year old pipelines for 4.5 billion.
The pipeline is a disaster to the environment. And the economy though might disagree. With my opinion. But there some like myself who still care about the planet. Over profit.
The proposed Trans Mountain Pipeline is a ruinous idea for the following reasons:
1. It is almost too late to meet our climate target, let alone stop contributing to climate change, even if we spent all that money on converting to renewable energy sources.
2. There is NO way to clean up bitumen from the ocean. As the diluent evaporates out of the dillbit, it releases toxic, flammable and potentially explosive vapours, especially in an enclosed space like Vancouver Harbour. 3. Our whole west coast ocean life will be irreversibly destroyed, from tanker noise as well as spilled bitumen.
4. There is a limited world market for the low grade high sulphur product that comes out of the Alberta tarsands. This market will shrink even further with the limit on sulphur level in bunker fuel for ships that comes into effect in 2019. Getting this product “to tidewater” will not increase its value. Outside of the USA there are few refineries that can handle this low grade product.
Kaaren Soby commented
2018-10-03 15:59:37 -0700
There can be NO JOBS on a dead planet..! !!L .WHOARE these destroyers of LIFE we are electing as our representatives of Democracy ? What a bleak and dire earth we will be giving to our beautiful children, so full of life and love. Will they know whales? Bears? Caribou? Moose? Will they experience the exquisite beauty of nature….”Super Natural BC” ..????How terribly sad! Already the EcoMarine System is suffering from untenable noises pollution, deadly impact,with tankers, suffocation from microplastic pollution ….
Where is the wisdom in destroying our Eco Systems?
Kaaren Soby
Jane Habrook commented
2018-10-03 13:41:39 -0700
Dear National Energy Board
As a Canadian that has watched the intermittent non sense of Canada’s political system all my life, I find myself feeling the same as I did when I was a child… why doesn’t the government do what they say they will, why do they keep doing things that make it harder and harder for the people and all other creatures to live a good life?? There is no excuse for the behavior of Canada’s decision makers, the time for honest intelligent politics is here and I expect this government to do the right thing for the future of all.
There is no way this planet will continue functioning with deceptive decision makers in charge. Canada’s leaders need to pull their pants all the way up and make intelligent respectful choices that include ALLCANADIANS as well as the future of this earth and every living thing here within.
I made the decision to vote for Trudeau’s government based on the hope that Canada might finally have leaders to care about it’s people and country, well, once again I feel deceived and conned. I will not be voting for this government again and have now returned to the tactic of ‘voting out’ the people currently in charge. Why, why do the people elected to serve this country continue to feed it’s people candy that is poisoned and treat our lands and resources as if they are a private piggy banks with endless $$$ to be taken out and zero consequences to follow?
My heart is sickened by the events surrounding this pipeline, why do the people have to tell the government what is good for all, is there no common sense or foresight within anyone in charge?? Yes this is a democracy and the people are speaking, the whole world knows how passive and polite Canadians can be, so might I suggest y’all be listening carefully this time, we’re pissed!! Jane Hambrook Vancouver BC
Douglas Jackson commented
2018-10-03 13:23:04 -0700
Comment by FAX? Are you serious…does this government and the NEB think we are all idiots? This process is once again starting out on the wrong foot by trying to limit public input because they know the public does not support the governments plan to become a Johnny come lately in the fossil fuel industry.
If the government is not representing the electorate, or even listening to the voters of this country, Canadians will do their own re-assessment come the next election. The election results will not be determined by a judicial review but by Canadian voters who do not go “all in” on a risky hand and do not appreciate the shady tactics used by a crooked house of cards.
Time for Canadians to stand up and be counted…the only people that will protect our interests…are us voters.
Werner Rhein commented
2018-10-03 13:08:52 -0700
Dear Energy Board,
This is far more than just the issue with the First Nations, This is a global issue. We all people on this earth have to reduce burning fuels and go in the direction of alternative renewable energy.
The money and time spend on this pipeline would bring as a big step in that direction if it had been used for renewables.
There is also anomore thing, a wise man said a while ago “you can’t fix a problem with the same mind who created it”. Albert Einstein.
that means youshould create an other board with different people who are informed about global warming, climat change and the dangers of transpoting Dillbit.
Sincerely,
Werner Rhein
Sam Stumborg commented
2018-10-03 12:15:38 -0700
Dear National Energy Board,
Canada has no chance of meeting our emissions targets under Paris if this pipeline expansion goes through. Announced investment in the oilsands has increased since the Liberal government bought the pipeline, completely contrary to your assertions that this pipeline has nothing to do with oilsands expansion. This industry needs to be phased out NOW. The money already wasted on buying a pipeline valued at $700,000 by KM only a few years before MUSTNOT be followed by more tax dollars. For the sake of future generations this toxic investment must be stopped before our country is pulled further into debt protecting a dangerous boom and bust industry that does not have Canadians’ best interests at heart.
Use your heads and save our wallets. Use your hearts and save our coasts. Use your gut instincts to let this pipeline die.
Sincerely,
Sam
Mal Senta commented
2018-10-03 12:05:46 -0700
Having Coast Saalish & European Settler lineage, born on the West Coast- as all my mothers before me, but living in Alberta now, I feel uniquely invested in the perplexing matter of the Trans Mountain Pipeline NEB consultations. I am concerned that the concept of consulting is inconsistent with UNDRIP’s right of Consent. Both Federal and Provincial Elected Govt.s have pledged to adopt UNDRIP, but Canadian case law precedent contravenes UNDRIP provisions, barring 1st Nation’s veto. With this inconsistency, there is no possible structural framework for NEB to mandate a sound decision. Trudeau and Horgan must offer more than lip service to their ceremonial comittments to UNDRIP, and the UN must make means of enforcement and protection for 1st Nations Unalienable inherent Rights-or any NEB approval without 1st Nations full consent is unjust, and inherently unactionable.
Shanon Sinn Fenske commented
2018-10-03 11:41:59 -0700
I stand in solidarity with the Coast Salish, Nuu-chah-nulth & Kwak’wakawakw of Vancouver Island & the lands surrounding the Salish Sea. I do not recognize foreign First Nations or others as having treaty violating authority over the people whose territories these are. In accordance with the United Nations, Canadian law, and basic human moral decency I will protect our water because I believe it is sacred.
Both Trudeau and Trump want what THEY want and simply care what brings in the next vote in favor of THEMGREED and POWER do we as individuals count or do we even matter? There actions have made it clear that we do not. This is our land and water and we must protect this vital resource. Does Alberta care what happens if we have a spill NOT!!! and we will as time has clearly proven time and time again.
Showing 35 reactions
General Delivery, Lasqueti Island, BC V0R 2J0
Email is [email protected]
November 20, 2018
National Energy Board
210-517 Tenth Avenue
Calgary, Alberta
T2R 0A8
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:
This is my third time of sending in comments to this board. Each time I say less because your terms of reference continue to dwindle down. This is not applicable to the real world and to the complex realities the interrelatedness shown by physics and ecology, nor is it conscienceable, especially considering the 12 year window that the scientists of the world have said we have to turn our culture around and stop producing carbon and pollutants. This is worse than a world war in its impacts, as if we continue or increase our use of fossil fuels, our planet, its people, your children, and all wildlife are at risk of survival.
First about the marine environment and the endangered southern resident orcas.
In Washington State, they have created an emergency task force to address the threats to these endangered species. “A governor’s task force published a new draft report Wednesday outlining options to help save beleaguered southern resident orcas. The report offers 36 draft recommendations. Most are centered on three broad initiatives: To increase the abundance of chinook salmon — orcas’ favorite food, to reduce noise and disturbance from sea vessels and to reduce orcas’ exposure to harmful pollutants.”
The increase in tankers travelling through Burrard Inlet (which has been reviewed by David Huntley and found on the NEB site (from double to apx. 5 times currently,) from the twinned/new federal/Kinder Morgan pipeline transiting through BC’s coast is right in the endangered orca’s habitat. This increase in vessel traffic will inhibit and reduce Southern Resident Orca communications with each other, their ability to echo-locate their food – salmon, and will likely increase pollution (both sound and particulate) in their habitat. This increase will impact local traffic in the inlet, the two bridges that must be transited, and through the busy Vancouver Harbour, then through the tidal and strong currents found in the Georgia and Juan de Fuca Straits. As Huntley (op cit) has described, the impacts within the Burrard Inlet itself will be significant to other marine, train and local traffic. However, the impacts in the marine areas outside of the harbour have not been thoroughly investigated, despite the City of Victoria, and The State of Washington’s written opposition to the project and its likely impacts on the marine environment and economy of these areas. The risk of spills is far too high to allow this new pipeline and increased terminal with the increase of tankers going through Burrard Inlet and off of a major city to proceed. Furthermore, no investigations of the behavior of spilled diluted bitumen has determined that it will in fact float, so no clean up is possible. Although the shipping and insurance industry reports on spills shows a descrease in spills in the last decade, there have been three in the last five years in the BC coast due to human error. In addition, In “the period 1970 to 2017, 50% of large spills occurred while the vessels were underway in open water; allisions, collisions and groundings accounted for 59% of the causes of these spills. Perhaps unsurprisingly, these same causes account for an even higher percentage of incidents when the vessel was underway in inland or restricted waters, being linked to some 99% of spills.” As the tankers will travel in inland waters, and no clean up of diluted bitumen has been proven, the risk is far too high to justify this project’s approval.
Secondly about the consultation with First Nations:
There is NOT approval of this pipeline throughout BC by First Nations. Now in BC we have a government mandated education system which requires that BC teachers (like myself) include information on the travesty of justice that has occurred to indigenous people in our country because they have not been properly consulted or given their rights to title and use of land. There is no consent for this pipeline and terminal and increase in tanker traffic by BC’s First Nations, except for a few individuals. The Union of BC Indian Chiefs is totally against this project.
Furthermore, at their recent Oct 2018 Annual General Assembly they reiterated that the federal governments Feb, 2018 Overview of new relationship discussions, is flawed:
WHEREAS on February 14, 2018, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Canada’s intention to embark on a nation-wide engagement strategy to discuss the development of a new Recognition and Implementation of Rights Framework (RIRF). Specifically, the Prime Minister stated:
“For too long, Indigenous Peoples in Canada have had to prove their rights exist and fight to have them recognized and fully implemented. To truly renew the relationship between Canada and Indigenous Peoples, the Government of Canada must make the recognition and implementation of
rights the basis for all relations between Indigenous Peoples and the federal government…[A]s a starting point, it should include new legislation and policy that will make the recognition and implementation of rights the basis for relations between Indigenous peoples and the federal government going forward”
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the UBCIC Chiefs-in-Assembly reject Canada’s Overview Document and the paternalistic approach it takes to the RIRF, as it is contrary to the inherent human rights Indigenous peoples hold that are affirmed by the UN Declaration, does not recognize Aboriginal Title, and fails to create space for self-determination; (https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/ubcic/pages/132/attachments/original/1539623913/2018Oct_UBCICAGA_FinalResolutions.pdf?1539623913).
Although the climate change impacts of this project for some illogical reason are excluded from this review, it will be your and all of our own children and grandchildren who inherit this planet that has and will be impacted by your decisions about this project! We must turn things around, and the exclusion of this aspect to the “new” NEB review is deeply flawed. May you be able to look your grandchildren in the eye with self-respect because you said NO to this project.
Thank you, Sheila Harrington, Lasqueti Island, BC V0R 2J0
World Environmental Concerns
As a signatory to the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change mitigation, Canada is obliged to do her part in bringing down greenhouse gas emissions. Continuing to produce and market one of the dirtiest fossil fuel products in the world, where such production itself involves the emission of massive amounts of said greenhouse gases is absolutely contrary to the spirit and letter of the agreement and calls into question the honesty and integrity of our great nation.
This pipeline, if completed will more firmly put us in the position of being part of the problem rather than the solution. Approval of this project will be an unconscionable act, one that will negatively reflect Canada’s apparent commitment to climate change mitigation.
Respond by fax only? Well this is not starting out well.
It would appear that your first step in the legal requirement for meaningful consultation has been to limit or thwart public input. I am not sure who made this decision, but it certainly does not bolster public confidence in the legally required process.
Consent from the Coastal First Nations of the Salish Sea has not been granted for the Trans Mountain pipeline and tanker project. Without that consent, Canada does not have the right to build Trans Mountain.
A vast number of Canadian’s do not support further investment in fossil fuel infrastructure and see it as a threat, not only to British Columbia’s land and coastal waters, but to increasing climate change concerns and a step in the wrong direction, financially, morally and detrimental to the entire planet.
Economic considerations placed above all else is short sighted and will never be acceptable to First Nations or concerned citizens. The process the NEB has been instructed by government to conduct can never be made to appear anything other than what it is, a bad idea in the wrong place and at the wrong time.
Sincerely,
Reply
Forward
It is obvious that your oversight and environmental track record are completely flawed.
I need to understand how your oversight and utter mismanagement of your resource sector should somehow fall on the backs of FN and BC coastal communities. Plus, every community in its path.
I need to understand why you are not going after multi national companies for their reckless disregard of your province and your citizens land, resources and clean up costs. To the tune of billions of dollars.
Quite frankly, whom ever has had oversight of your resource sector should be arrested and tried for crimes against your province and humanity.
BC and FN are not your sacrificial lamb for your complete mismanagement of your resource sector. It is not up to us to bail you out when you guys are the ones who are and were completely incompetent.
You should have planned and saved for a rainy day. You should have planned for clean up costs/orphanaged wells and tailing ponds. Instead of leaving the good people of AB and Canada on the hook for your unbelievable mistakes. While these multi billion dollar corporations bleed our country dry and walked away laughing all the way to the bank.
We will never allow this reckless dangerous project to proceed with out using every available resource we have to STOPTMX.
BC and FN have zero confidence in your abilities to oversee such an enormous operation due to your failed history of your disastrous resource sector.
Regards, Jane E. LeBreton
Our effectiveness in the Environmental battle has been increased as courts have recognized our legal status on our Aboriginal Title lands. The recognition of our Aboriginal title on Delgamuukw allows us to challenge the most irresponsible types of development in courts. In fact, Delgamuukw gives us a legal duty to protect the land since, according to the Supreme Court. the only way we could lose our Aboriginal title is if we engage in activity on the land that destroys our ecosystem economy for the future generations."
The people in favour of the pipelines and increased traffic are responding to an inertia that to some degree or another, we are all a part of. Our most casual small choices that increase the demand for oil for packaging for something that we eat and don’t think about again, need to be visualized as happening 8 billion times at once.
We need to actively be reducing the demand for oil, changing our own lives first, and then leading by example.
With that, we do not have need to destroy ourselves with guilt or revert to an archaic lifestyle that most of us, honestly, would suck at.
Among the proponents for more oil flow, many or even most of them are familiar with the data on climate change, and generally believe it. They are not evil.
They do, however, believe that it is inevitable, that they have no blame for going along with the God of Free Markets, and either are resigned to the possible ending of life and civilization as we know it, or are making plans for themselves and their favoured people and house pets to survive.
The rest of us?
Well…
Those people are crazy.
So are we, and everyone we see in the street.
This world has made us crazy, to a degree we have cooperated, and continue to do so every time we casually push someone else closer to craziness.
The people relying on the pipelines to feed their families are generally just decent people like presumably we mostly are, playing with the hand dealt to them.
We can’t stop fighting the pipeline, we need to not soften an inch more than we have to in order to find solid footing to resist.
But if we are actively looking for ways that the perceived need for the pipeline and it’s oil can be reduced, we are also fighting the fights of 10, 15, and 25 years from now.
For the generations.
Also, what hasn’t been made clear enough is that every single Coastal First Nation near where the tankers would be traveling opposes the TMX expansion. Every single one of them. That should be enough. Their fishery, their other food sources, the use of their traditional territories is threatened in a way that is completely unacceptable. The risk is far too high for any profit to Alberta or shareholders.
You lied to us here in BC. No one will forget you or forgive you for your shady tactics! Find another place to wreak havoc in because you and your losing billions of dollars deal is not wanted hear.
Your children will hear of what you did and if I was a father I would be ashamed!!!
As scientists and economists have already stated and proven, the claim that Canada needs to expand the tar sands to pass bitumen through B.C.’s coast to allow the export of toxic bitumen, as a way make the transition to clean energy, is completely false.
There’s 2 sides of that coin. One side gathers the evidence using scientists and economists that haven’t been corrupted, paid by government or industry to spin a fabrication of the truth; which is the other side of the coin. Corruption based.
Those of us that follow Robyn Allan, Kennedy Stewart, Mark Eliesen, Elizabeth May, Andrew Weaver, Nathan Cullen, just to name a few, are more than researched as to what was falsified to pass a project based on backroom deals and Regulatory Capture to benefit a few.
Regulatory Capture, pays. Carefully and quietly mind you.
This dangerous to human life and the environment project has only reached fruition because of government corruption. Greed. It pays top officials with private interests, and denies all the science against it in order to pass it.
Below points, EG: Only 12 reasons showing the corruption behind this project and there’s a lot more than 12:>
1) Kills endangered species, eco systems land and marine.
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2) People Who Live Downwind Of Alberta’s Oil And Tar Sands Operations Are Getting Blood Cancer.
The area saw concentrations of some chemicals that were higher than levels in Mexico City during the 1990s, when it was the most polluted city on the planet. Levels of some volatile organic compounds — which, depending on the compound, have been linked to liver, kidney and central nervous system damage as well as cancer — were 6,000 times higher than normal.
https://thinkprogress.org/people-who-live-downwind-of-albertas-oil-and-tar-sands-operations-are-getting-blood-cancer-9de808568a77/
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3) Takes out B.C. tourism WHEN there’s a spill.
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4) Puts Burnaby residents in danger due to the high probability of a tank farm explosion. To which the Burnaby Fire Chief has said, the logistics make it almost impossible to evacuate residents and SFU students off of the mountain.
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5) Canadian Association of Physicians for the environment (CAPE):>
Excerpt:> Locally, there is the potential for a catastrophic fire on Burnaby Mountain due to the proposed increased storage tank density. It is also still unknown how spilled diluted bitumen could effectively be cleaned up, and health risks of a spill include mental health impacts, cultural impacts for local Indigenous communities, respiratory illness, and potentially increased long-term risks of acute myeloid leukemia for community members exposed to volatile diluents.
https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/CAPE-Media-Press-Release-Statement-on-Federal-Purchase-of-the-Kinder-Morgan-Pipeline-2.pdf
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6) Kinder Morgan’s false job numbers.
15,000 jobs, are actually 6 X’s the number of temporary construction jobs that KM presented in it’s National Energy Board application. And, it will only create 90 permanent jobs.
KM’s Ian Anderson admitted he only hires temp foreign workers, meaning ALL the workers contracted for the Kinder Morgan construction jobs are actually for only 2000 – 3000 TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKERS. MLA Gord Johns explains 100,000 B.C.ers depend on clean oceans for their jobs.
The 15,000 jobs number comes from a fantastical calculation based on the doubling of the amount of construction time, this proposed pipeline is allowed to take. The pipeline is supposed to be constructed over 2 years, but the job number comes from a 4 year construction period. Economist Robyn Allan therefore calls the 15,000 jobs number a scam.
https://www.facebook.com/kennedy.stewart/videos/1521434824617085/
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7) KINDER MORGAN EXAGGERATED PIPELINE JOB #‘s — By altering the time horizon and renaming the nature of the employment to characterize it as something it is not, illustrates how Kinder Morgan’s 15,000 construction workforce figure is meaningless and was manipulated to show it would produce 80% more jobs than it can. When asked, Trudeau’s office staff refused to reply back how the original figures their boss relies on was developed.
Robin Allyn, 1 of 2 ex pipeline intervenor’s who quit the pipe review concluding “disturbingly the outcome was predetermined”, investigated and found the formula Kinder Morgan used to come up with their exaggerated job numbers. The Conference Board based its estimate on an Input Output model which — because of its many design flaws — delivers highly exaggerated results. In depth explanation in article.
http://theprovince.com/opinion/op-ed/robyn-allan-the-search-for-trans-mountains-mythical-15000-construction-jobs
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8) Intervenor Mark Eliesen realizing the approval process was fraudulent:>
Excerpt:> Unfortunately, I have come to the conclusion that the Board, through its decisions, is engaged in a public deception. Continued involvement with this process is a waste of time and effort, and represents a disservice to the public interest because it endorses a fraudulent process.
I have a professional background that includes over 40 years of experience in senior executive positions in the energy sector of Canada, and an understanding and working knowledge of the mandate and operations of the National Energy Board, including an appreciation of the principles of natural justice and the rules and practices of quasijudicial bodies in Canada. I have reached my conclusions based on my wealth of experience.
https://dogwoodbc.ca/news/fraudulent-process/
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9) Linda Duncan – B.C.’s Endangered Orca. It seems, as far as the Canadian federal government is concerned one can kill orca AND taxpayers through carcinogenic toxic tar sands emissions. Kill whatever you need to kill to pass a corrupt project.
Alberta’s NDP MP Linda Duncan addressing the house stating the National Energy Board heard clear SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE a 7 fold increase in tanker traffic through the Salish Sea “would deliver a near certain extinction for our southern resident killer whale pod.” 1 min video. They call that a SIDE EFFECT of the expansion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drdj0DwCSMo&feature=youtu.be
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10) This next article is “can we clean bitumen?” Here’s an excerpt:>
Excerpt:> Canada’s premier scientific academy, the Royal Society of Canada, concluded that we lack the science to know if it is possible to clean-up dilbit. The NEB ruled that accepting the Royal Society study of would be unfair to Kinder Morgan.
http://elizabethmaymp.ca/publications/2018/04/03/heres-what-you-dont-know-about-kinder-morgan/
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11) Many First Nations not consulted:>
Excerpt:. The First Nations groups have seized upon a report in the online publication The National Observer, which published e-mails from government officials, obtained under the Access to Information Act, that suggest Ottawa was consulting with First Nations after having already determined it would approve the project.
“It appears the Trudeau government entered into this process with an end goal in mind, without engaging First Nations, without consulting us or many other First Nations along the pipeline route that would be affected,” Khelsilem said.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-first-nations-leaders-claim-ottawa-did-not-properly-consult-bc/
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12) What’s in Bitumen? Why is Canada’s federal government hiding this?
Excerpt:>
Yet officials in Washington State’s Department of Natural Resources voiced grievous doubts in internal memos dated January 2017. “What is frustrating is … tar sand oil manufacturers’ lack of transparency on what is used for diluents and those diluent properties, which in my mind (alludes) to dishonesty,” wrote the state’s oil spill response coordinator.
https://www.nationalobserver.com/2017/08/14/news/washington-state-officials-troubled-oilpatch-secrets
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There’s so incredibly much more that illustrates how corrupt this project is.
SHAME ON JUSTIN TRUDEAU AND ANYONE PUSHING THIS DANGEROUS CORRUPT PROJECT while hiding all the science proving this project is harmful to human life, wildlife, our air, water, land.
The list of 1-12 are only a tip of the iceburg proving this project is corrupt.
Canadians in opposition to the Kinder Morgan expansion are telling you to stop this harmful destructive project that was only passed due to Government Corruption and Regulatory Capture.
Justin Trudeau and peers are every bit an embarrassment to this country as is any politician, regardless of party, that is an industry shill working for private interests and corporations, but NOT the Canadian people.
People are every bit as intelligent as those that are pushing for this project. We’re just fed up with corrupt white collar criminal government officials, whose toxic projects make taxpayers sick, damage resources and eco systems, only to line the pockets of a few; that have to push harmful unnecessary projects to line them. We’ve got money for clean energy. But not when it’s going offshore (Paradise Papers), or used to buy 60 year old pipelines for 4.5 billion.
1. It is almost too late to meet our climate target, let alone stop contributing to climate change, even if we spent all that money on converting to renewable energy sources.
2. There is NO way to clean up bitumen from the ocean. As the diluent evaporates out of the dillbit, it releases toxic, flammable and potentially explosive vapours, especially in an enclosed space like Vancouver Harbour. 3. Our whole west coast ocean life will be irreversibly destroyed, from tanker noise as well as spilled bitumen.
4. There is a limited world market for the low grade high sulphur product that comes out of the Alberta tarsands. This market will shrink even further with the limit on sulphur level in bunker fuel for ships that comes into effect in 2019. Getting this product “to tidewater” will not increase its value. Outside of the USA there are few refineries that can handle this low grade product.
Where is the wisdom in destroying our Eco Systems?
Kaaren Soby
If the government is not representing the electorate, or even listening to the voters of this country, Canadians will do their own re-assessment come the next election. The election results will not be determined by a judicial review but by Canadian voters who do not go “all in” on a risky hand and do not appreciate the shady tactics used by a crooked house of cards.
Time for Canadians to stand up and be counted…the only people that will protect our interests…are us voters.
This is far more than just the issue with the First Nations, This is a global issue. We all people on this earth have to reduce burning fuels and go in the direction of alternative renewable energy.
The money and time spend on this pipeline would bring as a big step in that direction if it had been used for renewables.
Here is the reason why we can’t go on as we did in the last 100 years;https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fethicsandclimate.org%2F2018%2F09%2F21%2Fnew-evidence-that-climate-change-poses-a-much-greater-threat-to-humanity-than-recently-understood-because-the-intergovernmental-panel-on-climate-change-has-been-systematically-underestimating-climate%2F&h=AT1XUOy-Swuz4IntzT7ERnMdc_hLAcJ2wkF9gZzEsyhX1opM0RRuy09C4XgOaX0fV6VYHzdNz3e1d9cbmlwnKicOxoQcUiSTWouBAZFGpN4tkYSPicoT6gmWGPk4tp7Vb4EEaimsLSbRx5RE_Q
There is also anomore thing, a wise man said a while ago “you can’t fix a problem with the same mind who created it”. Albert Einstein.
that means youshould create an other board with different people who are informed about global warming, climat change and the dangers of transpoting Dillbit.
Sincerely,
Werner Rhein
Canada has no chance of meeting our emissions targets under Paris if this pipeline expansion goes through. Announced investment in the oilsands has increased since the Liberal government bought the pipeline, completely contrary to your assertions that this pipeline has nothing to do with oilsands expansion. This industry needs to be phased out NOW. The money already wasted on buying a pipeline valued at $700,000 by KM only a few years before MUST NOT be followed by more tax dollars. For the sake of future generations this toxic investment must be stopped before our country is pulled further into debt protecting a dangerous boom and bust industry that does not have Canadians’ best interests at heart.
Use your heads and save our wallets. Use your hearts and save our coasts. Use your gut instincts to let this pipeline die.
Sincerely,
Sam