From the Orange Coast: The pollsters lost big in the BC election–but not for the reason everyone is talking about

Updated with clarification The pollsters were the biggest losers in the British Columbia provincial election on May 14—but not in the way everyone is talking about. It’s clear to the Wednesday morning quarterbacks that the big issue in BC was the economy, … Continue reading

“No need to scare people” about tanker disasters, Transport Minister tells Commons

“There is no need to scare people,” about tankers, Transport Minister Denis Lebel told the House of Commons on Thursday, March 28. Lebel was answering a question from Skeena Bulkley Valley MP and NDP House Leader Nathan Cullen. The official … Continue reading

Analysis: The Harper government’s week of history-making blunders

When the story of the Stephen Harper government is told, historians will say that the week of March 17 to 23, 2013, is remembered, not for the release of a lacklustre federal budget, but for day after day of political … Continue reading

Coastal First Nations launch election commercial with Exxon Valdez radio call

Coastal First Nations have launched a commercial aimed at the British Columbia electorate, using the call from the Exxon Valedez to US Coast Guard Valdez traffic control saying that the tanker had run aground.   The commercial makes the connection … Continue reading

Kitimat port announcement surprise to Rio Tinto Alcan, District of Kitimat

The announcement Monday that the federal government intends to turn the private port of Kitimat into a public port, an announcement confirmed by Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver in Terrace, Tuesday, came as a surprise to Rio Tinto Alcan, which … Continue reading

Oliver confirms Kitimat to become a public port

Joe Oliver, the Minister of Natural Resources, has confirmed that the federal government intends to make Kitimat a public port. Oliver was in Terrace, March 19, 2013, to announce the appointment of Vancouver lawyer Douglas Eyford as “Special Federal Representative … Continue reading

Harper government outlines new tanker safety measures for west coast

The federal government outlined new tanker safety measures in Vancouver Monday, measures aimed at increasing support for the Enbridge Northern Gateway project and the Kinder Morgan pipeline twinning projects. The detailed announcement as it appears on the Transport Canada website (as … Continue reading

PART ONE: What the State Department Keystone EIS says about Kitimat

The United States Department draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) not only had to evaluate the main subject, the controversial Keystone XL pipeline project, but possible alternatives as well. So that’s why the EIS took a couple of looks at Kitimat, … Continue reading

PART TWO: What the State Dept. Keystone EIS says about Kinder Morgan and Vancouver harbour

The US State Department report on the controversial Keystone XL pipeline project also looks at the Kinder Morgan Transmountain pipeline (both the existing line and the proposed second line) and, in at least one part of the report, seems to … Continue reading

PART THREE: Keystone EIS looks in-depth at the railway to Prince Rupert option for bitumen and crude

There have always been commentators who believe that if the Northern Gateway Pipeline is rejected by the Joint Review Panel or stopped by other means, that the bitumen from Alberta should be carried by rail to Prince Rupert. A pipeline … Continue reading