VICTORIA – The B.C. Liberals refused to pass New Democrat legislation that would rule out pumping oil and diluted bitumen through natural gas pipelines, and instead watered down the legislation into a simple regulation that could easily be reversed.

“When I brought forward the British Columbia Oil and Gas Activities Amendment Act, 2014, all the Liberal government needed to do was vote yes,” said New Democrat MLA for Stikine Doug Donaldson. “But they refused to pass the legislation, risking the sound management of transportation of natural gas, and allowing oil bitumen to take over the pipelines – greatly increasing risks to the environment.”

The Liberal government, under pressure from the Wet’suwet’en Nation, New Democrats and the general public, passed a regulation on Tuesday, however Donaldson said a regulation can be reversed by a signature from a Liberal cabinet member at any time.

“You would be hard-pressed to find someone who would simply take the Liberal government at their word,” said Donaldson. “This decision needs to be cemented in legislation, and I will continue to work with the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs and public to keep up pressure on the Liberal government.”