Nathan Cullen introduces bill to protect Pacific Northwest

NDP MP Nathan Cullen (Skeena – Bulkley Valley) has a plan to protect the Pacific Northwest, and today he introduced legislation aimed at settling uncertainty and avoiding conflict around the future of the North Coast, and the threat posed by Enbridge Northern Gateway.

“Conservatives have arrogantly refused to listen to the concerns of people in the northwest and across British Columbia,” said Cullen. “From the risks of crude tankers in our northern coastal waters, to shutting communities out of the process and failing to consider the impact on value-added jobs.”

Cullen’s bill would legislate a ban on supertankers on the North Coast, putting into law for the first time a moratorium that will fully protect the region. The bill also seeks to give communities a stronger voice in pipeline reviews and better consider the impacts of projects on value added jobs.

“By shutting out and insulting First Nations and BC communities the Conservatives have made a complete mess of this project,” continued Cullen. “They’re failing to look at the long term economic and environmental impact of Northern Gateway, and that’s what this bill aims to finally fix.”

This fall, Nathan Cullen will be taking his Take Back Our Coast tour across BC, giving people an opportunity to have their say on his bill and the future of our coast and country.