Q & A Georgia Strait Alliance

 2014 Municipal Candidate Survey from Georgia Strait Alliance

Georgia Strait Alliance is a registered charity with 10,000 supporters that works to protect and restore the marine environment and promote the sustainability of the Georgia Strait and surrounding communities. We are distributing the following brief survey to all registered candidates participating in the 2014 municipal election in selected municipalities in the Georgia Strait region.

We will share the results with our supporters via email prior to general voting day, as well as posting them on our website and social media channels.

Please fill in your responses in this document and return it to alexandra@georgiastrait.org by November 3, 2014.

 

A. Information about you

Your name:                                                 Gordon Fuller

Your email address:                           gorfathome@yahoo.ca

Where you are running for office:     Nanaimo

Position you are running for:             Councillor

 

B. Survey questions

1. If approved, Kinder Morgan’s proposed TransMountain pipeline expansion would result in a six-fold increase in the number of oil tankers travelling through the Strait of Georgia. Do you support the TransMountain expansion project?

☐  YES ☐  NO                                     Absolutely not!

Additional comments, if any:             It is not a question of if but when there would be a spill; the potential impact to the coastal environment would be phenomenal and we ascitizens and municipal officials must do all we can to stop any such incident from happening.

2. Most municipalities and citizens do not have official status as a participant in the National Energy Board’s (NEB) review of the TransMountain project, which is ongoing until September 2015. What would you do in office to ensure that the views of your municipality and its residents are communicated to the federal authorities who will ultimately decide the outcome of the TransMountain expansion proposal?

☐   Put forward a motion to your Council/Board

☐   Engage with the federal government on this issue, eg. via a letter or meeting  

☐   Engage with the provincial government on this issue, eg via a letter or meeting

☐   Share information with your community, eg. via hosting an information session  

☐   Solicit the views of residents in your municipality, eg. via a community survey ☐

Other:

Additional comments, if any:             All of the above; all lobbying opportunities for municipalities having official status must be explored.  If a motion has not already been brought forward to the Union of BC Municipalities for inclusion into the process then it should be done as soon as possible.

3. As part of the NEB’s review, on October 23 the NEB overruled the City of Burnaby’s bylaws to allow Kinder Morgan to conduct surveying work in the Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Do you think the NEB should be able to overrule municipal bylaws?

☐   YES ☐   NO                                  

Additional comments, if any:             Absolutely not and if they attempt  to do so it should be taken to court.

4a. Coastal areas could be affected if an oil spill occurred along the tanker route through the Strait of Georgia. What is your understanding of, and/or views on, the role of your municipality in planning for and responding to the impacts of a potential oil spill on your community and local environment?

                                                          This is not a question of could be affected but will be affected.  I will need to look into what exactly would be the municipalities’ role and if I do not believe it sufficient will work to make it so.

4b. Do you think there should be greater resources and training provided for municipalities to prepare for an oil spill, and/or participate in wider oil spill planning and exercises carried out by other agencies and levels of government?

☐   YES ☐   NO

Additional comments, if any:             Absolutely!        

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Thank you very much for taking the time to complete this survey. Please send your responses to alexandra@georgiastrait.org by November 3, 2014. We welcome any questions or comments about this survey or our work. Please contact:

Alexandra Woodsworth, Energy Campaigner, Georgia Strait Alliance Telephone: 604-633-0530 | Email: alexandra@georgiastrait.org | www.georgiastrait.org