Harper concerned about 'hijacked' Northern Gateway hearings
Echoing criticism from pro-oilsands EthicalOil.org, Harper claims foreign funding to enviro groups could compromise public hearings about Enbridge's Northern Gateway pipeline.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he's heard growing concerns about hearings over the controversial Northern Gateway pipeline being "hijacked" by foreign interests, the Canadian Press reports.
- Tory-linked "Ethical Oil" website slams Canadian enviros over foreign funding
- Enviros question methodology of Enbridge poll disputing Northern Gateway pipeline opposition
According to CP, Harper said that the Canadian hearings must reach decisions in a reasonable amount of time, and expressed "growing fears" about foreign money funding participation in the public consultation process.
His comments align with harsh criticism from pro-oilsands groups like EthicalOil.org, who recently launched an aggressive smear campaign against environmental organizations accepting donations from American funders. Although EthicalOil.org claims to be non-partisan and emphasizes the fact that they don't accept funds from government bodies, Harper's comments appear to reinforce suspicions that the Conservative government has ties to these campaigns.
Environmental advocates from the Pembina Institute and Environmental Defence responded to allegations, saying arguments over foreign funding were "spurious and disengenuous". Both Pembina and Environmental Defence also noted that foreign money constitutes just 10 per cent of their overall funding.
More than 4,000 groups and individuals have signed up to speak at the hearings, which begin on January 10th in Kitimat, BC.
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(3) Comments
It concerns me that all three of the people on the Joint Review Panel for the Northern Gateway project are with the National Energy Board an independent regulator which is energy friendly.
It won't be foreign money that stops the Enbridge pipeline, it will be Canadian voices speaking out, Canadian bodies occupying the pipeline route, and Canadian votes kicking Harper and his cronies out of Ottawa for good (in 3 more years... oh lord.)
What part of no, doesn't Harper understand? There are over 80% of the BC people supporting the F.N. We are not the criminals. We don't want to have our province a polluted wasteland. Harper and Enbridge do, they are the real criminals.
Have Harper and Enbridge not heard of the recent disasters of, seven ships run aground, the tanker spills. The rig explosion off Nigeria? What about all the Enbridge spill disasters? The 1,500 barrel spill at Wrigley N.W.T. That was during the Slave Lake fire. Or Enbridge and their gas leak into the Gulf? What about Enbridge and their pipe burst, into the Kalamazoo River, of which they didn't even bother to clean up? Or their other 170 spills?
Leave the F.N. food sources alone. Leave this province alone. There has been enough bad things, done to our people and province. Especially by Harper and Campbell.
Harper and Gordon Campbell worked frantically, to force the Enbridge pipeline and the dirty oil tankers from China. This was before Campbell got the boot for his corruption and thefts. Harper and Campbell also worked to dismantle BC. Our province was financially destroyed from Campbell's theft and sale of our assets. Harper and Campbell also forced the HST onto BC. That tax is totally illegal and a lying scam.
All we have left is the beauty of the Orca and Humpback Whales, and the abundant marine creatures. The wonderful Spirit Bears and the unique small wolves. The Rain Forest also has, wild big game, song birds, salmon runs, and plumb full of woodland animals. The Enbridge pipeline and the dirty oil tankers, threatens all.
The F.N. people should not have to constantly fight to save their food sources. Salmon is a staple food for the F.N. It's bad enough the dirty diseased fish farms are killing them off. What has Harper done about that? Nothing of course. What about Gordon Campbell thieveng and selling our rivers, destroying important salmon runs? The Kokish River project, is going to ruin both salmon and steel head fish. I guess that's o.k. too.