Senate vote a win for BC’s coastal communities

(Vancouver, BC) June 20, 2019 – The Coastal First Nations (CFN) applauds the Senate’s vote in support of Bill C-48, the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act.

“This positive vote is a major win for ecosystems and communities throughout the BC coast, and one more step in the decades-long effort to keep northern BC waters safe from oil spills,” said Guujaaw, CFN spokesperson. “It’s also a win for prudent thinking in the face of persistent and well-funded lobbying from the oil and gas sector.”

“Our leaders have been unanimous and forthright throughout this effort to pass Bill C-48,” says Guujaaw. “It will help preserve our cultural and spiritual way of life as much as it will preserve the wildlife and ecosystems we depend upon.”

An election promise from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2015 to requests from the Coastal First Nations and municipalities, Bill C-48 was passed by elected members of the House of Commons in May 2018. It had full support from the Liberal Party of Canada, NDP, Green Party and Groupe parlementaire Québécois, with only the Conservatives opposing it.

“Bill C-48 will provide unprecedented protection for our territories,” says Guujaaw. “Our communities have been fighting to protect our territories from oil tankers and oil spills for almost 40 years. At the same time we’ve showed leadership in developing projects that are safe and sustainable.”

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For more information:

Guujaaw
Special Advisor, Coastal First Nations
(250) 637-1190