Oil Free Coast

Just say no to offshore drilling in B.C.
Rick Stiebel, Goldstream News Gazette, 30-Nov-2005
Oil Free Coast Alliance to government: heed public opinion
Matthew Gauk, Martlet (University of Victoria), 01-Dec-2005

By Rick Stiebel
Goldstream News Gazette
Nov 30 2005

Rick Stiebel/News Gazette
WCWC Victoria campaign director Ken Wu, right, hands a pamphlet to volunteer/supporter Cindy Robinson during a rally at Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca MP Keith Martin's constituency office Wednesday.

That's the position the Western Canada Wilderness Committee reinforced during a rally at Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca MP Dr. Keith Martin's office last week.

"We're not protesting the federal Liberals because they haven't done anything to show us they are lifting the moratorium (on drilling for gas and oil off the coast of B.C.)," said WCWC Victoria campaign director Ken Wu. "But we're encouraging them to publicly comment on keeping it in place before the next election."

Wu cited the potential for oil spills, substantial greenhouse gas emissions and impact on marine life from seismic testing blasts as major concerns.

Wu also pointed out that offshore drilling in Newfoundland is conducted 300 kilometres off the coast, but it could be as close as 20 kilometres from shore if it goes ahead near the sensitive coastlines of the Queen Charlotte Islands.

"It's the one-year anniversary of public input into the process," Wu said. "Seventy-five per cent of people want the moratorium maintained. Now the government needs to move on maintaining it."

Martin, who was in Ottawa when the rally took place at his Langford office, said he's glad the WCWC came out, and that he's discussed the situation with the organization in the past.

"It's up to scientists to assess the potential for damage to the environment," Martin said in an interview with the News Gazette. "The question is can it be done in an environmentally safe manner. If that's the case, we have a responsibility to the people of B.C. to do it in an environmentally safe way."

Martin believes the oil and gas resources need to be utilized, providing scientists give it the green light because of the jobs the work will create and the benefits to the economy.

Long-time WCWC supporter and volunteer Cindy Robinson said it's important to keep the moratorium in place to protect marine life.

"It's already under stress from human activities," said Robinson. "We shouldn't go down a path that creates destruction through oil spills and seismic activity from blasting."

Federal NDP candidates Randall Garrison,(Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca), Jennifer Burgis, (Saanich-Gulf Islands) and Denise Savoie (Victoria) issued a news release the day of the rally demanding the government keep the moratorium in place.

rstiebel@vinewsgroup.com

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by Matthew Gauk
Martlet (University of Victoria)
01-Dec-2005

Aaron McMillan photo:
Protesters opposed to offshore drilling display their disapproval Nov. 22 in front of UVicís McPherson library. The event was organized by the Western Canada Wilderness Committee.

Dozens of UVic students spelled out “Oil Free Coast” in front of the McPherson Library Nov. 22 to protest the possibility of offshore oil drilling in B.C.

The media event was a run-up to the National Day of Action on Nov. 23, organized by the Oil Free Coast Alliance. The Alliance, which includes the Western Canadian Wilderness Committee (WCWC) and the David Suzuki Foundation, aims to increase public awareness of potential oil and gas development off the coast of British Columbia.

A federal government moratorium on offshore drilling was put in place in 1971 by Pierre Trudeau at the behest of David Anderson, then Esquimalt-Saanich MP. The moratorium still stands, but some environmental groups are becoming concerned that the federal government, under pressure from the B.C. government, might start taking steps toward oil and gas exploration. “I think the federal government is just sitting on the fence,” said WCWC Victoria campaign director Ken Wu. “We would like some stronger statements that they will maintain the moratorium or, better yet, just have a legislative ban against offshore oil and gas development.”

The National Day of Action came a year after the release of the “Priddle Report,” a public input process instigated by the federal government to gauge public opinion on offshore drilling. The report found that three-quarters of British Columbians surveyed were opposed to oil and gas development.

“We’ve given them a year to consider the results of the public input process, so now we want them to commit,” said Wu. “We think they should be obligated to adhere to the results of their own public input process.”

The biggest concern among those opposed to offshore oil and gas development is the potential environmental impact. Exploration alone, which often involves seismic testing, can cause harm to whales, fish and crabs, according to some studies.

“It basically deafens whales,” said Wu. “It can kill the beaked whales; it can drive whales away from their feeding and migration areas, including Orcas and Gray Whales.”

The drilling would also threaten the seabird colonies and sea-sponge reefs that make the Queen Charlotte Basin a global treasure, says Jay Ritchlin, the marine campaign strategist for the David Suzuki Foundation.

He fears that small daily leakages and spills of drilling fluids would all go out into the ocean and have an immediate impact within a kilometre of the drill.

While large numbers of animals might not be wiped out from daily leakage, Ritchlin says, it could have a negative influence on developing salmon eggs, and the reproduction of herring, otters, and seabirds.

“It’s a really chronic issue that you don’t see,” said Ritchlin. “More and more we’re finding out that the residues from the oil itself have long-term impacts at lower levels.”

Wu and Ritchlin agree that the hypothetical fallout wouldn’t be limited to the environment. While both acknowledge that an offshore oil and gas industry would bring some economic benefit to the province, they point out that there would be pitfalls as well.

“Fishing still employs 16,000 people on the coast, and fish catches are reduced as a result of the destruction of marine larvae,” said Wu. “Fish are driven away from huge areas of their feeding and migration routes. This has been shown around the world.” Wu also cites possible damage to the $500 million a year worldwide whale-watching industry.

In the 2003 Throne Speech, the provincial government stated that they wanted to have an offshore oil and gas industry up and running by 2010. Since then, the province has created an Offshore Oil and Gas Team to foster the industry. One of their biggest selling points is the creation of jobs to service this industry. “My opinion is that B.C. takes all the risk, and probably most of the economic activity will accrue to large international firms who are already in the global oil market,” said Ritchlin.

The National Day of Action saw rallies at 24 locations in 19 Canadian cities. Volunteers leafleted and petitioned passers-by.

“There’s a federal election coming up,” said Wu. “So of all times where [politicians] need to get in line with public opinion, it’s now.”

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