About 100 people showed up outside Kelowna-Lake Country MP Stephen Fuhr香蕉视频直播檚 office Monday afternoon to protest the federal government香蕉视频直播檚 purchase of Kinder Morgan香蕉视频直播檚 Trans Mountain pipeline and the plan to twin it between northern Alberta and the B.C Lower Mainland.
The protest, organized by Lead Now, was not only aimed at the government香蕉视频直播檚 purchase of the existing pipeline assets from Kinder Morgan for $4.5 billion, but also at Ottawa香蕉视频直播檚 insistence the expansion project proceed despite mounting opposition from individuals and indigenous communities across B.C., as well as the B.C. government.
香蕉视频直播淲e are opposed to the pipeline (expansion project) not only from an economic and environmental standpoint, but also because it infringes on the rights of First Nations,香蕉视频直播� said Korey Zepike, organizer of the Kelowna rally on behalf of Lead Now.
The controversial pipeline project was bought by the federal government last week as part of its purchase of the existing Trans Mountain Pipeline assets. Kinder Morgan was threatening to shelve the expansion project if it did not get assurances by the end of May it could proceed with out the B.C. government trying to block it. B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 minority NDP government has launched a court action that could hold up the project.
One protester, Kristin Staley, said she voted for Fuhr in the last federal election but will not do so again because of the Liberal government香蕉视频直播檚 support of the pipeline expansion. And she held a sign saying so.
The federal government says that the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion is in the national interest, a position protesters in Kelowna dispute.
While Ottawa paid $4.5 billion for the existing 65-year-old Trans Mountain Pipeline assets and the right to expand the pipeline, it is estimated that expansion could cost another $7.5 million to complete. The federal government says it wants to sell the pipeline back tot he private sector as son as possible香蕉视频直播攅ither before or after the expansion is complete.
Zepik, who presented a thumb drive containing 3,300-page petition with 100,000 signatures of Canadians opposed to the expansion project to Fuhr香蕉视频直播檚 staff at the MP香蕉视频直播檚 office in downtown Kelowna, said he believes the federal government paid more than four times what the existing pipeline assets are worth.
香蕉视频直播淚t wasn香蕉视频直播檛 a good deal for Canadians,香蕉视频直播� he said.
Fuhr was not in Kelowna Monday to speak with protesters, he was in Ottawa according to his staff.
In addition to hearing several speakers, including former Kelowna West B.C. Green Party candidate Robert Stupka speak out against the pipeline project Monday, protesters also marched from the MP香蕉视频直播檚 office on St. Paul Street a couple of blocks to Bernard Avenue and back, chanting anti-pipeline slogans.
Stupka said the project doesn香蕉视频直播檛 make economic sense and will not allow Canada to meet its climate change goals.
The protesters who showed up for the rally carried a wide array of signs signalling their opposition to Ottawa香蕉视频直播檚 move and its support for the pipeline expansion project. Some read: 香蕉视频直播淪top the Kinder Morgan Buyout,香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播淣o Tankers,香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播淲ater is Life,香蕉视频直播� while others were aimed at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, such as 香蕉视频直播淛ustin Just Sold His Kids Out,香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播淭rudeau the Hypocrite. Vote Justin Out in 2019.香蕉视频直播�
The Kelowna protest was one of several held Monday across B.C. outside MP香蕉视频直播檚 offices.
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