How is our municipality going to deal with the Woodfibre LNG issue?
The question came up at this week’s council meeting and the task of coming up with an answer was deferred.
Still though, the subject itself was compelling enough to keep rearing its head in various contexts. When we’re talking about economic development, shouldn’t this project, which will see massive tankers cruising past our shoreline be taken into consideration? Doesn’t this seem like an item for the agenda in an upcoming meeting with our MLA, Jordan Sturdy?
That should be interesting.
Sturdy, alongside a number of his party colleagues, enjoyed a fundraising dinner for the BC Liberals sponsored by Woodfibre LNG just last week. Sturdy told the Squamish Chief:
“There has been a fundraiser for decades now, at this time of the year, and it is put on by the West Vancouver Sea to Sky Riding Association and there were 175 people at the fundraiser. It’s all transparent.”
Really?
Sturdy has already stated his support for the project. But he has also said (in an interview with the Squamish Chief) that he has a strong attachment to Howe Sound, he will review the Environmental Assessment and he will review the public comments made in response to it. We’ve seen Sturdy staunchly defend his party’s policies when it comes to BC Ferries. I think we can expect the same when it comes to Liquid Natural Gas and Woodfibre in particular. Being a beneficiary of company money can only re-inforce his support.
Part of me feels our council even bringing up concerns or opposition to Woodfibre with Sturdy could be a big waste of time. There are issues we might actually be able to move forward on with him but I am not optimistic about this one.
Still, I hope our council pulls it together and steps up and speaks out- to Jordan Sturdy’s office, to the Howe Sound Forum and at every other political opportunity, against a project that has no clear benefit to our island paradise. Bowen Island and Howe Sound deserve that, at the very least.
