VICTORIA – B.C. New Democrat leader Adrian Dix issued the following statement on today’s announcement by the Liberal government that it does not support the Northern Gateway Pipeline project:

“While the decision by the Liberal government not to support the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline project is welcome news, it is a case of too little, too late.

“The B.C. Liberals signed away decision-making authority to Ottawa in 2010 and that has not changed.

“We know Ottawa continues to support the project, so saying ‘no’ today is a toothless gesture and the Liberals know it.

“If they had any interest in actually stopping the pipeline from being built, the Liberals would withdraw from the agreement that gives Ottawa the only authority for approval of the pipeline.

“The B.C. Liberals avoided taking a position on this project for years. Even with this submission, the final say rests with Stephen Harper.

“Only after intense pressure from New Democrats, environmentalists, First Nations, and communities concerned about our coast and our economy did the Liberals finally decide to oppose the project.

“The Liberals have left the door open to support this pipeline in the future.

“B.C.’s New Democrats have stated our opposition to the Enbridge pipeline clearly and consistently, while the B.C. Liberals fumbled from position to position. They failed to stand up for B.C., failed to present evidence to the Joint Review Panel, and failed to take back the authority to actually stop the pipeline.”