As bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada in British Columbia and Yukon we write to express our hope that the National Energy Board (NEB) hearings into the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline will demonstrate integrity, fairness, and freedom from political pressure.
Recent public statements by various officials of the federal government, including the announcement last week of the streamlining of environmental assessment reviews, have raised concerns that NEB hearings may become subject to improper time constrictions and industry influence.
In a project of this magnitude, it is imperative that the final NEB Report on Northern Gateway be thorough and credible and command wide public support. To this end, it will be critical to hear the views of all people who live along the intended route of the pipeline. In particular, we call upon the Board to pay close attention to the concerns expressed by First Nations communities whose traditional territories and waters the proposed pipeline and the marine supertanker traffic would cross.
We urge serious study of these concerns as expressed in the Save the Fraser Declaration [1] of indigenous communities, and by the Union of BC Indian Chiefs. [2] We also draw attention to the statement by KAIROS,[3] a national ecumenical research group of Canadian Churches, and commend its analysis of the Northern Gateway project to careful study by all people of faith.
In the Christian year, this is the season of Holy Week. Throughout the nations, churches of every kind are recalling the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our prayer is that the created world, which flows from his life, will be respected and safeguarded by all.
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[1] www.savethefraser
[2] http://www.ubcic.bc.ca/files/PDF/ChiefsCouncilResolutions_Nov2011.pdf
[3] http://www.kairoscanada.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/SUS_RE_KAIROSGatewayAnalysis.pdf
Click to download a .pdf of this PROVINCIAL HOUSE OF BISHOP'S STATEMENT
Signed by:
Archbishop John Privett,
Metropolitan of British Columbia and Yukon,
Diocese of Kootenay
#201 - 380 Leathead Road
Kelowna, BC
2778-478-8310
Bishop William Anderson
Diocese of Caledonia
#201 - 4716 Lazelle Avenue
Terrace, BC
250-635-6016
Bishop Barbara Andrews
Suffragan Bishop to the Metropolitan
Anglican Parishes of the Central Interior
360 Nicola Street
Kamloops, BC
2778-471-5573
Bishop James Cowan
Diocese of British Columbia
900 Vancouver Street
Victoria, BC
250-386-7781
Bishop Michael Ingham
Diocese of New Westminster
3580 - 401 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, BC
604-684-6306
Bishop Larry Robertson
Diocese of Yukon
Box 3116
Whitehorse, YT
867-667-7746
Recent public statements by various officials of the federal government, including the announcement last week of the streamlining of environmental assessment reviews, have raised concerns that NEB hearings may become subject to improper time constrictions and industry influence.
In a project of this magnitude, it is imperative that the final NEB Report on Northern Gateway be thorough and credible and command wide public support. To this end, it will be critical to hear the views of all people who live along the intended route of the pipeline. In particular, we call upon the Board to pay close attention to the concerns expressed by First Nations communities whose traditional territories and waters the proposed pipeline and the marine supertanker traffic would cross.
We urge serious study of these concerns as expressed in the Save the Fraser Declaration [1] of indigenous communities, and by the Union of BC Indian Chiefs. [2] We also draw attention to the statement by KAIROS,[3] a national ecumenical research group of Canadian Churches, and commend its analysis of the Northern Gateway project to careful study by all people of faith.
In the Christian year, this is the season of Holy Week. Throughout the nations, churches of every kind are recalling the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our prayer is that the created world, which flows from his life, will be respected and safeguarded by all.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] www.savethefraser
[2] http://www.ubcic.bc.ca/files/PDF/ChiefsCouncilResolutions_Nov2011.pdf
[3] http://www.kairoscanada.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/SUS_RE_KAIROSGatewayAnalysis.pdf
Click to download a .pdf of this PROVINCIAL HOUSE OF BISHOP'S STATEMENT
Signed by:
Archbishop John Privett,
Metropolitan of British Columbia and Yukon,
Diocese of Kootenay
#201 - 380 Leathead Road
Kelowna, BC
2778-478-8310
Bishop William Anderson
Diocese of Caledonia
#201 - 4716 Lazelle Avenue
Terrace, BC
250-635-6016
Bishop Barbara Andrews
Suffragan Bishop to the Metropolitan
Anglican Parishes of the Central Interior
360 Nicola Street
Kamloops, BC
2778-471-5573
Bishop James Cowan
Diocese of British Columbia
900 Vancouver Street
Victoria, BC
250-386-7781
Bishop Michael Ingham
Diocese of New Westminster
3580 - 401 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, BC
604-684-6306
Bishop Larry Robertson
Diocese of Yukon
Box 3116
Whitehorse, YT
867-667-7746