Federal NDP candidate Catherine Bell is calling on MP John Duncan and the Conservatives to heed the warning from the Gulf of Mexico disaster and reverse their support for oil drilling and tanker traffic on the B.C. coast.

“We cannot risk this kind of catastrophe on our shores,” said Bell. “It’s time for John Duncan to re-examine his support for oil drilling and tanker traffic, listen to the people of Vancouver Island north, and take steps to ensure this kind of disaster never happens on the B.C. coast.”

Bell noted that within days of the oil rig explosion off the Gulf of Mexico, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger withdrew his support of a plan to expand oil drilling off the California coast.

“If an oil drilling advocate like Gov. Schwarzenegger can learn from the Gulf disaster, surely John Duncan can as well,” said Bell. “It’s time to permanently terminate tanker traffic on the B.C. coast. I urge Mr. Duncan to press the government to enshrine a moratorium on coastal oil tanker traffic."

“As we can see in the Gulf, the risk of an oil spill is just too great. This is a disaster for the environment, the economy, and thousands of jobs.”

She noted that last month NDP fisheries critic Fin Donnelly marked the anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill by introducing a Bill that would ban oil tankers in the Hecate Strait, Dixon Entrance and Queen Charlotte Sound. Donnelly’s Bill is modelled after a similar initiative that Bell put forward while she was MP for Vancouver Island North.

“The federal government is currently pursuing a massive northern pipeline that would transport oil from the tar sands to Prince Rupert, for loading onto super tankers,” she said. “I hope Mr. Duncan will support Fin Donnelly’s bill and put a stop to this plan.”

Bell also noted that John Duncan supports the Gordon Campbell provincial government’s efforts to lift the moratorium on coastal oil drilling.

“We have to make the protection of our marine eco-system a top priority,” she said. “It is crucial that we learn from the catastrophe in the Gulf.”

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