Pipeline opponents hold ‘telephone townhall’ in Chilliwack-Hope byelection

An anti-pipeline group is launching a telephone townhall Tuesday night as byelection day draws near in Chilliwack-Hope.

An anti-pipeline group is launching a telephone townhall Tuesday night as byelection day draws near in Chilliwack-Hope.

“We think this is a defining issue for B.C.,” said Eric Swanson, a director at the Dogwood Initiative, whose mission to date has been to halt Alberta crude oil being piped to waiting tankers on B.C.’s coast.

With the April 19 byelection looming and with news that the existing Trans Mountain pipeline under Chilliwack may triple in size, Swanson said Dogwoood organizers decided to hold the telephone townhall.

At 7 p.m. every telephone listed in the Chilliwack-Hope riding will get a call inviting the recipient to stay on the line and find out where the byelection candidates stand on the pipeline, and listen to the views of panelists Rafe Mair, John Visser and Robyn Allen.

Swanson agreed the Dogwood Initiative “makes no bones” about its opposition to both the Enbridge and Kinder Morgan pipeline proposals.

“Certainly we’re very critical of both pipeline plans,” he said.

If your phone doesn’t ring at 7 p.m. you can call 1-888-866-6603 and dial extension 18660# to join the program.

Chilliwack Progress