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Letters to the editor Vancouver businessman, says Petroleum News article inaccurate
Dear editor:
Perhaps your Calgary correspondent should talk a bit more to his B.C. provincial sources. His recent article (British Columbia offshore on hold, week of Jan. 23) seemed to say just the opposite of the minister’s recent statement.
For the reasons given below, the minister’s statements about the Priddle Panel were correct, as the panel itself seems to concede. This is a letter I wrote to you in December explaining the panel’s concerns:
I thought the following re Suzuki claims in your article (Offshore debate revs up, week of Dec. 12) might be of interest to your readers, and re the results of the Priddle Panel.
The Priddle panel’s recent offshore oil and gas report was called “useless” by B.C. Energy Minister Neufeld. Is this fair?
Did the panel report any new concerns that were unknown to engaged parties? Did it provide “an evaluation of those views” of opponents and proponents as required by its terms of reference? Did it do a scientific head count of the views of the 4.4 million people of B.C., as opposed to their admittedly unscientific head count of some 3700 polarized people? Did it publicly object when several opponent groups and newspapers miss-reported their head count as being about all B.C., or coastal communities? Did it advance the issue by opining in favour of or against offshore exploration?
The answer to all these questions is “no.”
I don’t blame the panel, who lament at page 98 of their report: few “expert witnesses,” “technical quality of the submissions was not high,” “hearsay evidence,” the panel “was not in a position to call evidence” and did not “have access to expert staff.”
Most telling, the panel laments that the panel “was not designed to test the credibility of the views heard,” and that “the Panel was not left with a body of tested evidence.”
Get the hint? I suggest that the Panel somewhat agrees with the Minister. They were not given the tools to do the assigned task.
We have largely wasted a year and not advanced the issue — in either direction. B.C. remains the only province in Canada to suffer a province wide ban on an activity practiced for decades in places including NL, NS, the Canadian Arctic, and Lake Erie in Ontario.
John Hunter, P. Eng., president & CEO
J. Hunter & Associates Ltd.
North Vancouver, B.C. Neufeld’s office says B.C. offshore definitely not on hold Dear Mr. Park,
Re: Petroleum News, Jan. 23 article titled “British Columbia offshore on hold.”
Please find attached a letter issued to provincial print media regarding the government of British Columbia’s commitment to a safe and responsible offshore oil and gas opportunity. The letter was issued to clarify recent media speculation on B.C.’s continuing work with First Nations and coastal communities.
Please feel free to contact the B.C. Offshore Oil and Gas Team for future information on prospective articles you may be preparing.
Steve Simons, director of communications
B.C. Offshore Oil and Gas Team
Victoria, British Columbia
www.offshoreoilandgas.gov.bc.ca B.C. committed to responsible exploration Dear editor:
A number of news agencies have written speculative editorials on provincial offshore oil and gas initiatives without first contacting the ministry or me for information. I am writing to reaffirm our government’s commitment to the responsible development of west coast offshore oil and gas resources.
Federal and provincial independent science panels have concluded that there are no scientific or technical barriers to safe development of our offshore resources. More importantly, these reports identified areas where both levels of government can address issues to ensure environmentally safe and scientifically sound development.
To work on these issues, this government established a dedicated offshore oil and gas team to work directly with the people most likely affected. To date we have partnered with coastal communities and First Nations in over $1.8 million in educational and information initiatives. Over the past two years I have led two teams of First Nations and coastal community leaders on fact-finding missions — to Cook Inlet, Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico — giving participants a first-hand view of the industry at work with communities.
B.C.’s commitment to science is underscored by a $2-million grant to the University of Northern British Columbia for a number of studies addressing points of the provincial science panel’s recommendations. Further studies have been completed by the University of Victoria to further refine resource information.
The B.C. Innovation Council for labour and training analysis and a pilot study with a First Nation on traditional knowledge.
At the invitation of coastal communities the B.C. team is beginning to explore options around the development of regulatory and management measures, the need and timing of necessary science, environmental assessment, and jurisdiction and ownership issues.
Unlike the east coast, B.C. is clearly in a different position with regards to ownership and jurisdiction and stands to benefit substantially both socially and economically from safe and sustainable offshore development. We have established relations with the federal government and continue to co-operate with them as they move through their decision processes with respect to the moratorium.
Following the end of the federal review process last November, the B.C. team again suggested a coordinated effort to address environmental, science, education, jurisdiction, regulatory and management topics. Although we have not yet had a reply, it is our hope that the federal government will agree to work jointly and co-operatively.
Regardless, the province continues to take a principled approach to systematically address all these factors with the full and active participation of First Nations, coastal and academic communities.
Our commitment today remains as strong as it was yesterday, last month, and last year.
Richard Neufeld
B.C. Minister of Energy and Mines
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