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March 6th, 2014

Statement from the NDP on the approval of the reversal of Line 9

The Official Opposition’s Energy and Natural Resources Critic, Peter Julian, issued the following statement in response to the National Energy Board’s decision to approve the Line 9 reversal:

“All Canadians benefit when our resources are developed and transported in a safe and sustainable way. With the proper environmental review and high safety standards, New Democrats believe that processing Canadian oil in Canada makes sense.

However, we remain extremely concerned about the changes forced in by the Conservatives that gutted the review and approval process dealing with the Line 9 proposal. This weakened process has created uncertainty for industry, as evidenced by the numerous court challenges facing the Northern Gateway approval.

Conservatives have forced artificial timelines on project reviews, slashed the number of environmental assessments, and placed arbitrary limits on who can intervene in consultations.

This curtailed review process shuts out community voices and fails to fulfill the government's obligation to consult and accommodate Aboriginal and treaty rights, inherent rights and Canada's international obligations. This process failed to properly deal with important local concerns about safety and the environment.

New Democrats are committed to a fair, credible and transparent review process, based on principles of sustainability and ensuring Canadians draw maximum benefit from the sustainable development of our natural resources."