REALITY CHECK: B.C. Liberals’ legacy of environmental hypocrisy continues to grow

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The B.C. Liberals’ legacy of environmental hypocrisy continues to grow as they push projects like the Enbridge tar sands pipeline that threaten the very way of life in our communities.

Last week municipal leaders from across the province joined together to pass a resolution opposing the Enbridge tar sands pipeline at the B.C. Union of Municipalities annual conference. Yet the B.C. Liberals are continuing to support the Enbridge tar sands pipeline – adding to the mountain of evidence that protecting the environment is not one of their priorities.

Here is just some of the evidence which shows that the B.C. Liberals simply don’t care about the environment:

Evidence from the Auditor General

  • An Auditor General’s report shows that under the B.C. Liberals, “conservation policies are not being consistently upheld; and little action has been taken to ensure conservation.” The report also slams the B.C. Liberal government for failing to protect critically endangered ecosystems like douglas-fir forests. Between 2008 and 2010, the budget for Parks and Protected Areas dropped by $6.95 million, or 18.4 per cent. http://www.bcauditor.com/pubs/2010/report3/conservation-ecological-integrity-bc-parks-and-protected-

Evidence from Communities

  • The B.C. Liberal government continues to champion the Enbridge tar sands pipeline, a project opposed by British Columbia communities that would put the Great Bear rainforest at risk from a devastating oil spill. On the anniversary of the Exxon Valdez spill the B.C. Liberals were questioned about whether they would commit to protecting our coast from a similar disaster. They refused. The debate can be found here: http://www.leg.bc.ca/hansard/39th2nd/h00323p.htm#3548
  • Cuts have left the community of Bella Coola without a conservation officer for years, despite a high incidence of human-bear conflict. The B.C. Liberal government has refused to post the job, despite the fact that the next nearest conservation officer is hundreds of kilometres away. http://www.leg.bc.ca/hansard/39th2nd/h00519p.htm#5545

Evidence from the Legislature

  • The B.C. Liberals continue to refuse to bring in stand-alone species-at-risk legislation, leaving many species in critical danger of becoming extinct. New Democrats introduced a species-at-risk bill in spring 2010, but the B.C. Liberal government refused to debate it. The New Democrat bill can be found here: http://www.leg.bc.ca/39th2nd/1st_read/m207-1.htm
  • On April 22, 2010, Earth Day, New Democrats introduced a bill to ban the use of cosmetic pesticides, but the B.C. Liberals refused follow the lead of communities across the province and ban the frivolous use of toxic chemicals in the places where our children play. The New Democrat bill can be found here: http://www.leg.bc.ca/39th2nd/1st_read/m203-1.htm
  • New Democrats also introduced a bill to protect the province’s sensitive cave ecosystems from commercial exploitation and vandalism. Once again the B.C. Liberals refused to debate the bill and took no action, leaving our caves at risk of being destroyed forever. The bill can be found here: http://www.leg.bc.ca/39th2nd/1st_read/m206-1.htm