A proposal to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility on the shores of Howe Sound sparked one of the few moments of heated debate as provincial candidates went head-to-head last Thursday (May 2) in Squamish.
Before a full house at the Eagle Eye Theatre, West Vancouver-Sea to Sky MLA hopefuls sought to woo voters in an all-candidates' meeting for the May 14 provincial election. The two-hour discussion covered everything from education funding to electoral reform, with candidates voicing similar stances on many of the topics.
Fractures formed when candidates hit the LNG plant proposal slated for the former Woodfibre pulp mill site. Although neither New Democratic Party candidate Ana Santos nor Liberal candidate Jordan Sturdy opposed the plan outright, the way they said they'd deal with it differed.
Santos said she shared some of constituents' concerns regarding fracking hydraulic fracturing used to retrieve natural gas buried in deep shale beds. If elected, the NDP plans to conduct a open public review of the practice, she noted.
As for the Woodfibre LNG proposal, it would have to go through a rigorous environmental assessment that the NDP plans to reinvigorate, she said. But before the proposal moves forward, officials need to create a Howe Sound management plan, Santos said, noting she recently participated in the Future of Howe Sound forum.
Let's make sure that we have that in place, she said.
Sturdy agreed that the proposal must be submitted to a robust and rigorous environmental assessment process.
I would certainly support looking at this project, he said.
The Woodfibre property is a brownfield site, with environmental remediation incomplete, Sturdy noted. The parcel includes a deep-water port and has run-of-the-river power to support a plant, he said, adding in a lot of ways it's a good site for such a project.
The Woodfibre site closing down cost the District of Squamish $2 million a year in taxes, which has a direct impact on your taxes on an annual basis, he reminded voters.
Conservative candidate Ian McLeod came out against the proposal. After listening to constituents, McLeod said the majority of people he's met are against the plan. Conservative Party policy puts constituents first, McLeod noted, reiterating he'll support their wishes.
The Indonesian billionaire behind the proposal has a terrible environmental track record, McLeod added.
Why would you want to somebody with a bad record and that has lawsuits against him, coming to our community and destroying Howe Sound? he asked.
The Green Party doesn't support LNG projects because, at the moment, there's no environmentally safe and easy way to retrieve the fuel, Green candidate Richard Warrington said. Until then, it's the wrong way to go, he said.
We are going to run out of fossil fuel and then what do we do? Warrington asked.
Independent candidate Jon Johnson just said no. He said he's totally against the Howe Sound LNG proposal.
My mandate is to represent what you guys want, Johnson said.
Johnson, a first-time candidate, said he entered the race because he wanted someone on the ballot to vote for. The Horseshoe Bay resident also pointed out the benefits of an independent representative and that he would like to see the film industry get some help in B.C.
McLeod agreed with the look towards support of the B.C. film industry, but also pointed to green industries as a way to make money. Sturdy and Santos both said tourism is an industry that could grow and help the Sea to Sky Corridor flourish.
In their closing arguments, Santos said the riding is in need of change and that she is dedicating her campaign to the people of Squamish, who made her feel welcome when she moved to town from Spain in 2004.
McLeod said he will listen to the people and that the Conservative Party will get rid of the carbon tax and encourage small business growth. Johnson encouraged everyone to watch the film Whipped by journalist Sean Holman, which exposes the power that parties have over their representatives. He claimed that voting in an independent will avoid that situation.
Warrington said the Green Party will truly be accountable and suggested an audit of politicians every few years to see if they stayed true to campaign promises. Sturdy ended the debate by stating he has the most experience and has the best understanding of the riding, having served as Pemberton's mayor since 2005.
With files from Ben Lypka, The Chief
Hear what residents had to say on the debate -
