(OTTAWA) August 18, 2015 - Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada and MP (Saanich - Gulf Islands), today announced the Green Party’s plan to defend Canada’s coastal communities from risky pipeline and tanker schemes.

“Every pipeline – whether it’s Enbridge’s Northern Gateway, Kinder-Morgan’s expansion through Burnaby Mountain to the Burrard Inlet, Energy East, or Keystone XL, are all about one thing: getting raw, unprocessed bitumen to coastlines,” said Ms. May. “These pipelines and supertankers are premised on a risky economic strategy. We have already seen how Harper’s strategy of putting all our eggs in the bitumen basket has hurt our economy. On top of that, one accident could cripple the entire billion dollar fisheries and tourism industry upon which our coastal communities depend. It is time to think like a country again and develop a national approach to a diversified energy strategy.”

Working with all other parties in the next minority Parliament, Green MPs will:

• Restore and enhance Canada's environmental laws – in particular, Canada’s Environmental Assessment laws need to be stronger than they were when Bill C-38 repealed them;

• Embed the right to a healthy environment in Canada’s constitution;

• Develop a national energy plan with a commitment to strong climate action through our Council of Canadian Governments;

• Legislate a ban on supertankers on B.C.’s coast;

• Place a moratorium on drilling for oil and gas in the Gulf of St. Lawrence;

• Repeal Bill C-51 and ensure that the RCMP receives scientific briefings to understand the legitimate concerns of citizens who demand climate action; and,

• Work with First Nations to stop forcing them into court challenges over their rights to defend their traditional territory and coastlines and instead allow for investments in sustainable economies based on Indigenous self- determination.

Lynne Quarmby, Green Party Science Policy Critic and candidate (Burnaby-North Seymour), became the face of public opposition to Kinder-Morgan’s pipeline expansion when she was arrested as a protester on Burnaby Mountain in November 2014.

“I am opposed to any expansion of the oil sands and resulting pipeline and tanker projects. Any new infrastructure for transporting diluted bitumen to tidewater, or for export in any direction is inconsistent with avoiding dangerous levels of climate change,” Dr. Quarmby stated. “Unfortunately, Stephen Harper aggressively supports a reckless strategy that endangers communities. The other parties, notably Thomas Mulcair’s NDP, refuse to stand against risky pipeline schemes that Canadians oppose. If Mr. Mulcair is truly sincere in his efforts to avoid catastrophic climate change, then I call on him to give a clear answer on whether he opposes the Kinder Morgan expansion and Energy East pipeline.”

“We remain firmly opposed to all transport of bitumen destined to be exported through Québec. A rubber-stamp from a flawed environmental assessment will not change our position,” said Daniel Green, Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Canada and candidate (Ville-Marie – Le Sud Ouest – Île-des-Soeurs).

“These supertanker and DOT-111 pipelines do not bring anything more to Québec but danger, damage;s and additional costs to taxpayers. They do not offer a future for our youth, or a source of income for Québec residents. The people of Québec are internationally recognized for their artistic, medical, and scientific achievements, and we are proud of this. We don’t want to see toxic bitumen, which is also responsible for the climate crisis that threatens our population, pass through our beloved province.”