The tar sands should not be permitted to reach Burnaby. Why let a disaster happen? No toxic, tar sands for Vancouver harbour. A spill from a tanker down into the harbour, will hurt Vancouver’s business base as companies will have to close. When companies close, Vancouver’s tax base will disappear. Vancouver will lose tourism and future businesses, as tourist and companies tend to shy away from contaminated areas. Companies will not locate in Vancouver. Google and read, “Vancouver Oil Sands Spill Could Cause Evacuation Nightmare”. Some messes cannot be clean-up, they can only be stopped, before they happen. The Western Canadian Marine Response Corporation has no equipment to clean-up a diluted bitumen spill from the bottom of Vancouver harbour. The WCMRC can only clean-up surface spills in fine weather.

The NEB process has been flawed from the beginning. By not allowing any cross-examination of KinderMorgan/TransMountain’s proponents/witnesses, how was it ever possible to arrive at a truthful hearing with access to all the facts? Clearly, now, the Federal government’s ownership only muddies the waters further by unquestionably creating a direct conflict of interest, where P.M. Trudeau, et al, have stated numerous times that “the pipeline will be built”, while at the same time conducting a sham “consultation” process. If ever there was phoney charade, this was it.

Fundamentally, the NEB has never properly given ANY consideration to very important scientific evidence that clearly shows there is no known way to deal properly with a spill of diluted bitumen. The dangers of this reckless project are numerous, as most of the route is so close to major rivers, like the Fraser, and the North Thompson.

Not to mention that the expansion will further increase the toxic footprint of the Tarsands, and add more damaging greenhouse gasses to our climate crisis.

The people at the NEB, and politicians like P.M. Trudeau, really need to watch my film on this subject to learn more about the dangers of this high risk expansion project. Here is the link to watch the film now: https://vimeo.com/272886759

The pipeline is too much of an ecological liability. When a spill happens it will destroy the coast, the islands and the Salish sea. It will kill all the biodiversity of this precious and fragile environment. Not to mention pollute my well and my soil on which I survive. The traffic alone will disrupt our way of life and threaten marine life. Alberta and British Columbia deserve better. Stop trying to cash out our resources at below market value before you can no longer deny climate change at the cost of all Canadians. Please Lets begin to talk about responsible resource management and veto this absurd ecological liability.

I was very disappointed by the PM’s announcement to purchase a destructive pipeline project with our tax dollars. Much worse, he is now hell-bent on forcing the project through despite the protests of those most affected with the promise of a few dozen jobs. The 2nd rubber-stamp approval came barely 24 hrs before his own gov’t admitted that we are in a climate catastrophe, which the coming bitumen spill, should the project come to completion (and there will be a spill, mark my words) will only make worse.

Trudeau’s “leadership” has been a disappointment and his words about “Sunny Ways” ring hollow to those whose futures he dismisses so easily.

The Trudeau Liberals have to ensure that only refined, oil products are piped, because the Trans Mountain Corporation has no equipment to clean-up a diluted bitumen spill. A diluted bitumen spill from the TMX down into the Fraser River watershed will kill most of BC’s sport and commercial salmon industries.

The message I sent to them…

Hello,

I listened to all of the audio files of the consultation process with the coastal First Nations, both the collectives and individual nations.

These were the nations who were never properly consulted before, which was why the court stopped the work, as you know.

Every nation and individual – one exception I’ll come back to – were strongly opposed to the additional tanker traffic. They were pleading, sometimes even crying (for real) … hard to listen to… because the current tanker traffic is destroying their food sources and culture. Elders, scientists, teachers, fisherman, politicians… all of them. Every last one. All these extra tankers will devastate their communities. Unless someone there determined they were all untruthful. Even without a spill, the traffic will be life changing.

The only exception in this testimony was the one So’lo collective – which is further up the Fraser River – who said they would support the project only if they could monitor it.

There are errors in your transcripts vs. audio recordings. I believe intentional. There were also Indigenous people who “represent no nation” brought in to testify to make it confusing for anyone paying attention – to appear there is a divide in consensus. The board members didn’t even know how to pronounce the names of the real nations.

I know a lot of money is involved, but if this was an ethical project these tactics would not be used. Something so big that can ruin lives for generations should be handled more professionally and honestly. I know some of the people who testified personally and it breaks my heart to know how they were treated.

Thank you for listening.

Shanon Fenske

I e-mailed my comments to the NEB, as follows:

The NEB is proposing that it continue with regulatory processes in progress with all landowners, including First Nations, as if the 2018 August Court of Appeal’s ruling hadn’t happened, as if the prior processes had been good enough, so let’s just carry on.

Interpreting the Liberal government’s re-endorsement of the TMX project as an okay to pick up where you left off, with a few minor adjustments, is an erroneous conflation and will lead to further court actions and victories by First Nations that will prove just how wrong.

It is in the NEB’s own interest, and its swan-song actions before being replaced with the new regulatory agency, to begin anew with incomplete regulatory processes, with no assumptions about any underway before the federal Appeal Court halted them.

The Canadian Charter and UNDRIP have teeth now, especially for Indigenous peoples on unceded territories. While the NEB’s isn’t responsible for dealing with land and rights issues that federal governments have failed to settle in treaties, since B.C. entered Confederation in 1871, a pressing issue then ttat was to be solved with all haste, it can only build, literally, on rightful due process now or risk delay after delay after delay. Take the time to start anew incomplete regulatory processes with First Nations in Charter- and UNDRIP-respecting ways, to save a whole bunch of costly setbacks down the road.

I am unable to appehend or edit the text. Fax sent as is.

Trying the same tactics over and over again to achieve a different result is surely the definition of insane. Here’s the first sentence of law.com’s lengthy definition: “Insanity. n. mental illness of such a severe nature that a person cannot distinguish fantasy from reality, cannot conduct her/his affairs due to psychosis, or is subject to uncontrollable impulsive behavior” …remind you of anyone?

We keep going around and around on the TM and the only thing that has changed is that the threats of disastrous climate change have increased.

And by the way Mr. Prime Minister, when you say you’ve purchased something (a pipeline) one would actually have to pay for it with their own money to claim ownership, all you have done is taken taxpayers money without permission and committed taxpayers to further billions of dollars without their consent to a project hundreds of thousands of Canadian’s DO NOT support. Regardless of suspect polls that show all kinds of public support from Canadians eager to continue adding to the planets increasing climate crisis I find it highly unlikely you would find enough Canadians to fill a bus (outside of Alberta) that would be willing to risk their children’s futures by adding to the climate problem, except you and your minions.

I can not afford any funds to donate but it is with all my heart, I want to stop the destruction of our environment.

The real, true, human/planet-valuable resources are fresh water, good soil, and healthy fisheries. Keep the tar sands in the ground. No destroying water/land to extract it, transport it over land and water ways, and no further destruction of the BC coast. BC’s coast is a complex of passageways, islands and inlets – it cannot accommodate a high number of tankers – not for bitumen/dilbit, not for LNG. We must think of the future, and use our energy, actions and money to protect our water, soil, air and fisheries. No subsidizing of the fossile fuel industry to create short-term profits for a few.

Bitumen is tantamount to nuclear waste when released onto the land, by any means ! A major disaster waiting to happen.

The idea of continuing with the trans mountain pipeline makes a mockery of the apparent understanding that we are in the midst of a climate disaster. Floods, tornadoes, killing heat waves, droughts, wild fires all give controvertible emphasis to this fact. Why should corporate profit be allowed to put our civilization into further peril. Stop this endeavour NOW!!

We don’t have the technology to ensure that there will be no leaking, or when disasters strike (the West Coast is waiting for the “big one”), the bitumen will not destroy our environment and pollute precious water and wildlife. NO TO PIPELINES!

There are too many risks at a point in global history when we have pushed ecosystems to their breaking points. We have lost our sense of place in the web of life and this pipeline affirms that. We cannot continue in this vein, thinking that just one more pipeline will be fine. It won’t and we have seen the science to show that there is no time like the present to shift our priorities. The only acceptable direction is in allowing this pipeline to fade away into the past and put our focus on renewable and sustainable means of energy.

NO DILUTED BITUMEN PIPELINE THRU THE ROCKIES - The toxic, tar sands have to be stopped at the BC/AB border, because if there is an avalanche or a rock slide against the Trans Mountain pipeline, the pipeline will break and destroy the surrounding environment and ecology. Even if, the clean-up equipment did exist, it would be impossible to access the damaged areas in the mountain passes. Many of these areas are not accessible by a mountain goat. The oil from the dilbit will seep down through the rocks during a spring run-off, to the salmon spawning streams and rivers and destroy most of BC’s salmon industry. This lack of salmon will cause the orca whales to starve to death. The damage would be wide-spread and irreversible. The Trans Mountain pipeline extension is a stupid idea to begin with, because the Trans Mountain Corporation has no equipment to clean-up a diluted bitumen spill. What happened to the Kalamazoo River, we do not want to happen to the Fraser River.

I have family & grandchild living on Burnaby Mountain where they plan to double the storage tanks. These tanks will contain in transit bitumen diluted with benzene which vaporizes on release. The Burnaby fire chief has said that if a fire was to break out – it would be impossible to fight. The risks are extreme as the mountain is heavily forested & climate change is causing long bouts of dry hot weather with real fire danger increasing each year. The current storage tanks have never been upgraded & have old , suspect safeguards as KM tried to save money. There is only one road to evacuate from the SFU community should there be a need and that will be cut off with any fires. There are 30-40,000 students, a residential community of 4-5000, elementary school & high school. If benzene gas is expelled in a catastrophe , it is toxic and lasting. ( The Nazis used this gas in extermination camps ) . Putting a toxic pipeline through the most populous jurisdiction in BC, through a forested mountain with over 50,000 locals to a terminus in the most pristine & ecological habitat coast that threatens 1000’s of fishing & tourism jobs – WHAT CAN GO WRONG ? The risks are not worth it for waning commodity and in fact, its construction is insane. With respect to our commitments to the world ; this type of infrastructure investment will add decades more to fossil fuel extraction in Alberta & speed Canada’s already significant warming .

The reality is that it is not IF there is a spill it is WHEN there is a spill. Will it be on land, crossing a river, by a lake, a salmon bearing body of water, or in the Burrard Inlet which is abysmally inadequate to handle the greater volume and larger vessels that will appear to move that product and other products out of our country. It is not simply the petroleum industry whose business will expand. Other industries will require more and larger vessels to move their products. What this government is promoting is a blueprint for disaster. It is not only other life on land, in the air and in our waterways that will be, if not destroyed, so severely impacted that this cause, and the ongoing pollutions from this and other industries, cannot be overcome. Our government has failed to demonstrate in any meaningful way their preparedness to deal with a oil spill disaster nor are they dealing with the looming environmental catastrophe being perpetrated by man on a day to day basis. As our forefathers said “Time to wake up and smell the coffee” — our leaders collectively have lost their olfactory senses when it comes to real leadership of the people. Look NOT just from one perspective (making money) but from all views — what is more important money or lives? Our government is gambling on our lives and they have no working plan to save us.

This is a Koruptonic issue, which means it is corruption based. Corruption is the collusion between power and money to realize profit.

Big Oil supplies the money. Trudeau supplies the power. His power comes from the power of the individual vote surrendered to the politician, which corrupts that politician. Absolutely.

Corruption allows the politician to support a pipeline to poison and pollute our Planet for profit. Corruption does not like other proposals, such as Proposal AOS (Alternative Oil Solution), which provides three times as many jobs as TMX, not just temporary jobs, but permanent jobs with no pipelines, and no profit for Justin or Big Oil. But it does bring Prosperity to the people.

The solution is simple. We follow the Process of Democracy.

Proposal AOS follows the Process of Democracy, where the potential uses for oil will be the issue identified by the government (Elected Members who are government administrators). The Electorate, the core of Democracy, will submit proposals. The Proposal is the vision of Democracy.The Electorate will vote on proposals. The Electorate will decide the issue with a referendum, the backbone of Democracy. This would take about 60 days, and no lawyers.

Suppose Trudeau, and all politicians, had no power… where would money go? Nowhere. Where does the pipeline go? Same place… nowhere.

It is the great number of Peacemakers that removes the power of the politician. Peacemakers never surrender the power of their vote to anyone.

The first 10,000 Peacemakers will stop Trans Mountain in its tracks.

More can be found here… www.nstukbridge.com

As a resident of the Southern Gulf Islands, I am extremely concerned about the increased tanker traffic and spill risk of a substance that cannot be cleaned up. My livelihood and that of many other in our community is dependent on the natural environment for income but also our entire lifestyle. Bitumen is a shrinking market. Green alternatives are becoming available at an accelerating pace. Rather than investing waning technology with high environmental footprint and risk, we need to invest in blooming green alternatives and become a leader in these energies.

The National Ecocide Board. Imperial Canada has turned from Genocide to Ecocide.

If ever there were an issue that is non-partisan, climate emergency should be it. And yet the people we elect smash on it with Adler’s hammers as though it were a partisan nail. Shameful? Yes. Also suicidal. You can’t negotiate with Mother Nature, she simply reacts to your actions.

It’s time that government recognized that consent means consent.

To the NEB , It is my belief that another pipeline which would triple the amount of tar sands bitumen sent to the coast is a direct threat against my children and grandchildren and their ability to live on this planet.
Increasing the amount of carbon based fuels available for burning in light of the Climate Crisis – Emergency is madness and suicidal.
If Canada was following its international commitments to carbon reduction we would be ramping down the tar sands and trying to deal with the massive poisonous tailings ponds that already exist.
Moving more tàr oil equals more environmental disaster potential inland on rivers and lakes and on the coast to the ocean and All sea life.
I am angry that Canadians now own the existing pipeline and would like to see it shut down.
Sincerely, Kim deLagran Utterson Ont P0B1MO

The Coast Protectors have my heart and my allegiance. Marie in Kingston, Ontario

Only refined, oil products should be piped through the TMX, to prevent another Kalamazoo River disaster from happening in the Fraser River watershed. To understand the destructiveness of a toxic, tar sands spill, Google and read, “Michigan oil spill effects could be repeated here”, by Michelle Barlond-Smith. The Burrard Inlet to the east of the Second Narrows Bridge is not suited for super tanker traffic. The Inlet is too restricted, making ship maneuvering awkward.

Thank you for working to stop the pipeline !