Pubdate: Sat, 17 Mar 2012
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Times Colonist
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/letters.html
Website: http://www.timescolonist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Bill Cleverley, Times Colonist 

COUNCIL DEEMS POT GOOD, OIL PIPELINES BAD

Proposed oil pipelines proved more contentious than pot for Victoria
councillors this week as they went on record opposing the former and
supporting the latter.

A motion put forth by Coun. Ben Isitt supporting the taxation and
regulation of cannabis passed without debate.

The resolution noted that laws against pot have fuelled "an
increasingly violent illegal market with expanding organized crime
involvement." B.C. municipalities are being forced to bear an
increasing financial burden dealing with growops and
enforcement.

Victoria will write to other municipalities across the country and to
federal and provincial justice ministers informing them of the
council's position.

Victoria councillors also went on record opposing any expansion of oil
tanker traffic on the West Coast, but that didn't pass quite as easily
as the one on pot.

In the resolution, which was put forward by Coun. Lisa Helps, the
council:

- - recognized the Coastal First Nations and Save the Fraser declarations
which prohibit oil tanker expansions through B.C.'S coast;

- - expressed unequivocal opposition to projects by Kinder Morgan,
Enbridge or any other entity that would lead to the expansion of oil
tanker traffic through B.C.'S coastal waters; and

- - urged the province to use whatever means available to stop expansion
of oil tanker traffic on B.C.'S coast.

Only Coun. Geoff Young argued against the motion, saying he has
recently seen motions cross both the city's and the Capital Regional
District's board tables against pipelines, offshore drilling and
tanker traffic.

But, he said, the reality is that all methods of producing and moving
petroleum products involve risk, and until the people are willing to
stop driving vehicles locally, identifying individual projects as more
dangerous than others is not appropriate.

But Isitt disagreed, saying it's important for local governments to
show support for their counterparts in northern B.C. that are already
on record in opposing the Enbridge Inc.'s proposed Northern Gateway
pipeline.

Existing pipelines can accommodate domestic consumption, Isitt
said.

"This pipeline is about exporting one of the dirtiest sources of fuel
in the world - tar sands crude - to international markets via the
fragile north and central coast of this province," Isitt said.
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MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.