“The Pipeline Project: How we got here” (May 25 Saanich News) was a balanced contribution to the debate, but all too brief with regard to the potential marine risks put forward by our provincial political leaders as their major concern.
It is true that tankers pose an inherent risk to marine environments everywhere around the world, especially when close to a shoreline. However, in the public debate over marine implications of the Trans-Mountain expansion, it seems that relevant facts are being ignored. In particular, concerns expressed make virtually no mention of quietly burgeoning traffic carrying Alaska crude down our coast to Washington state.
At about 500 tankers per year and increasing, this is several times greater than the traffic projected for the expansion of Westridge terminals in Vancouver. Yet those U.S.-bound tankers navigate off Canada’s coast for far longer times and distances than that of Asia bound tankers from Vancouver. Why are B.C. politicians not expressing concern over this ongoing and potentially increasing risk? Is this because we are really dealing with a form of culture war within our own society? Or are we afraid of enlarging an issue that involves our neighbour to the south? We need a more candid debate.
Franklin White
Saanich
