The B.C. Liberals continue to change their story about the creosote incinerator that they approved in Kamloops without community consultation.

First the B.C. Liberals called community members “emotional” and dismissed their concerns. Instead of ordering an environmental assessment the minister chose to ignore the issues raised by 100 local doctors, the mayor and council and the public.

Now that the B.C. Liberals have issued an air permit they want the people of Kamloops to believe there is nothing they can do to stop the creosote incinerator from going ahead. The fact is the B.C. Liberal government has put the brakes on projects before, and they can do it again.

Here are just two instances where the B.C. Liberal government has scrapped projects because of public pressure:

 ·    In March 2008 the B.C. Liberal environment minister pulled the plug on a controversial plan to build a private power project on the upper Pitt River.

 ·    In February’s throne speech, the B.C. Liberal government put the freeze on mining in the flathead valley, effectively cancelling all mining claims and permits in the region. 

Local B.C. Liberal MLAs dismissed concerns raised by doctors, local representatives and the public from the very start, and instead of listening to the community and ordering a full environmental assessment of the creosote incinerator, their government issued permits and announced taxpayer-funded grants for the company.

 ·    B.C. Liberal MLA Terry Lake criticized the people of Kamloops for being ‘emotional’ about the plant, and expressed his support for the proposal, saying, “being a politician is tricky, for sure, because you want to please everyone. I’ve learned that you can’t please everyone. You have to live up to your own principles. If people don’t like that or don’t respect me for that, then I’ll go back to neutering cats and dogs.” (CHNL, The Jim Harrison Show, Jan. 14, 2010)

·     B.C. Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger expressed his support for the plant by saying “I know that various people are saying very emotional things about it, but we trust scientists and engineers when we get on airplanes. When we permit sewage and water treatment facilities. When we write permits for industry. And I’m satisfied that people have done their jobs, and that our health and safety is not going to be compromised by this facility.” (CHNL, Jan. 15Th, 2010)

New Democrat MLA Michelle Mungall will attend the rally and public information session tonight at Thompson Rivers University to ensure that residents know that this project is far from a done deal.