Media Release

Media Statement – February 9th, 2016
Andrew Weaver statement on 2016 Speech from the Throne
For Immediate Release

Andrew Weaver, Leader of the BC Green Party and MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head made the following comments in response to the government’s 2016 Speech from the Throne:

“The Speech from the Throne demonstrates that with the monumental failure of the government’s LNG pipedream, they are officially out of ideas. It will do little to assure British Columbians that this government is in fact paying attention to the economic challenges facing our province,” said Andrew Weaver. “Their suggestion that there was no way of knowing that LNG was a bad gamble to make, despite the fact that experts have been telling them this for almost 4 years, is a troubling rewrite of history.”

“The claim that ‘Success is not for quitters. Success demands steadfast attention, and resiliency in the face of global challenges’ underscores the reckless disregard this government has for the global economic LNG reality. The global market is oversaturated in natural gas, vast new resources are coming on-line, Iran – with the world’s largest natural gas reserves – just had trade sanctions lifted, and the world is decarbonizing its energy systems. British Columbians would be better off with a government that knows that success means to stop throwing good money after bad. Success means investing in a 21st century economy, not doubling down on an economy of the past century as Alberta and the Harper government did.”

“At the end of the day, and after three years of political rhetoric and broken promises British Columbians should ask themselves this: Has this government done anything to make the lives of British Columbians substantially better? I would suggest not.”

“After I listened to the Throne Speech today it has become perfectly clear that Today’s BC Liberals are nothing more than Yesterday’s Harper Tories”.

Andrew will be responding fully to the Throne Speech later this week in the Legislature.

-30-

Media Contact
Mat Wright
Press Secretary – Andrew Weaver MLA
Cell: 250 216 3382
Mat.wright@leg.bc.ca
Twitter: @MatVic

Parliament Buildings
Room 027C
Victoria BC V8V 1X4

Media Statement: February 1st, 2016
Andrew Weaver Comments on the Great Bear Rainforest Agreement
For Immediate Release

Victoria B.C. – Andrew Weaver, Leader of the B.C. Green Party and MLA for Oak Bay – Gordon Head.

“I am thrilled that after 20 years of negotiation and compromise that we finally have an agreement that can provide a pathway forward for our province on balancing the development of  local economies with the necessary protection of our ecosystem. This has to start with acknowledging the rights of First Nations communities.”

“I hope the newly founded Reconciliation Protocols and Strategic Engagement Agreements will result in more efficient and respectful negotiation processes going forward. The government has made it clear that they think this is a world class model for environmental and economic protection, if that is the case I hope to see it implemented province-wide.

I am optimistic about today’s Great Bear Rainforest Agreement and commend the incredible dedication and perseverance of everyone involved in the lengthy negotiation process. I look forward to talking to the government about their supporting legislation in the upcoming Spring session and learning more about how they plan to implement this landmark agreement.”

Media Contact

Mat Wright
Press Secretary – Andrew Weaver MLA
Cell: 250 216 3382
Mat.wright@leg.bc.ca
Twitter: @MatVic

Media Statement: January 28, 2016
New Federal Rules on Energy Projects Welcome in BC
For Immediate Release

Victoria B.C. – New Federal rules on major energy projects announced today from the Government of Canada are welcomed by Andrew Weaver, Leader of the BC Green Party and MLA for Oak Bay – Gordon Head.

“I am absolutely thrilled that the new federal Liberal Government continues to exemplify leadership on climate change” says Andrew Weaver. “As a climate scientist, I see including upstream emissions on energy projects as a major step forward for Canada. It is long overdue and the federal government deserves a lot of credit for introducing this substantive change to the NEB process.”

Earlier today the Minister for the Environment and Climate Change and the Minister for Natural Resources held a joint press conference on the new regulatory changes the Federal government is implementing.

“It’s encouraging to see some leadership from our Federal Government,” says Weaver. “I strongly agree with Minister McKenna’s comments about the need to reinstate Canadian’s trust in the environmental review process.”

For Kinder Morgan, the government will appoint a ministerial representative to consult the communities, including indigenous communities, who could be affected by the project. The new rules announced today will delay the Kinder Morgan pipeline review by at least four months – a cabinet decision on the project is now expected in December 2016.

“It’s important to note, however, that as the MLA for a coastal riding, this announcement does nothing to alleviate my concerns on spill response and spill preparedness. For British Columbians the central issue is about the potential for a catastrophic accident and not as much about the climate impacts of the project. On these grounds the project should still be rejected.”

The new rules will also affect at least two LNG projects in the province: the Pacific Northwest LNG project and the Woodfibre LNG project.

“I’ve stated many times that our climate goals are incompatible with the BC Liberals’ LNG strategy so I’m encouraged to see that upstream emissions will now be considered as part of the environmental review for LNG projects” says Weaver. “While I am hopeful that the inclusion of upstream emissions will be given the importance it deserves, I caution that it will be difficult for the Federal Government to accurately account for fugitive emissions in its assessment.”

Mat Wright
Press Secretary – Andrew Weaver MLA
Cell: 250 216 3382
Mat.wright@leg.bc.ca
Twitter: @MatVic

Victoria, B.C. – Andrew Weaver, Leader of the B.C. Green Party and MLA for Oak Bay–Gordon Head, has issued the following statement on behalf of the B.C. Green Party in regard to the events today in La Loche, Saskatchewan:

“As with everyone in British Columbia and across our country, we have been following the tragic news of the shootings in La Loche, Saskatchewan today. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the victims, and the entire community who are coping with this appalling event.”

– 30 –

Media contact
Mat Wright, Press Secretary
Office of Andrew Weaver, MLA
1 250 216 3382
mat.wright@greenparty.bc.ca

Media Statement January 20, 2016
Andrew Weaver presents final oral argument in NEB hearings
For immediate release

Victoria B.C. – Today at 1:30 pm, Andrew Weaver, MLA for Oak Bay – Gordon Head and Leader of the B.C. Green Party, presented his oral summary argument in the National Energy Board Hearings for the Trans Mountain Expansion Project. Representatives from the Coldwater Indian Band spoke before Andrew Weaver and he was followed by the Stz’uminus First Nation.

Andrew Weaver was the only MLA who applied to be an intervenor, reviewing the project both as a scientist, critiquing the Proponent’s understanding of how diluted bitumen would interact with the marine environment, and as an MLA, raising concerns shared by people across BC.

“I have been a part of this process for almost two years, examining the application and trying to get answers about the impacts it may have on our communities,” said Andrew Weaver. “The fact is that Trans Mountain have not demonstrated that they have the ability to respond to a dilbit spill in BC coastal waters. This is just one of many reasons that this application needs to be rejected.”

In his oral argument presented today, Weaver outlined a number of deficiencies, both with the application and with the NEB process. His testimony outlined that there are no conditions that could address the flaws inherent in Trans Mountain’s Proposal. He argued that the Board should recommend to the Governor in Council that the Application be dismissed altogether.

“Trans Mountain has failed to demonstrate that this pipeline is in the best interests of British Columbians,” Andrew Weaver told the Board today. “There considerable deficiencies inherent in existing and proposed spill response measure and the human health risk assessment provided by the Proponent does not adequately portray the potential health effects that may occur in the event of an oil spill.”  

In light of the evidence, Andrew Weaver and the BC Green Party have called for a moratorium to be put in place on the existing tanker transportation of Dilbit along the West Coast.

A transcript of Andrew Weaver’s oral argument can be found on his website:  http://www.andrewjweaver.ca/2016/01/20/final-oral-summary/

Media Contact
Mat Wright – Press Secretary, Andrew Weaver MLA
1 250 216 3382
mat.wright@leg.bc.ca