The B.C. government will be in court this month seeking the authority to regulate shipping of crude oil across the province. It expects stiff opposition from Alberta and Ottawa, who say this is exclusively a matter of federal jurisdiction.
Canadian National, Canadian Pacific and BNSF are all fighting an order, issued last September by the provincial director of the Environmental Management Act, to report both the volume of oil they move and the routes they’ve used for transport. B.C. says the information is needed to help it with oil spill response planning.
The three rail companies joined forces in an appeal to the province’s Environmental Appeal Board. They argued they are federally regulated and B.C. lacks the constitutional authority to over-ride that jurisdiction. But that argument can be turned on its head. B.C. wants the information because it intends to create geographically-tailored spill response plans to fill in gaps it sees in the federal regime.
GlobeBC Good
GlobeBC Make me Premier for a day and ALL rail traffic would stop. You haul ANYTHING through MY province on MY roads or rails that could harm MY constituents, then MY provincial officials NEED to know, to prepare and keep the public safe. PERIOD!
GlobeBC BC has no legal right to the information Until that changes they shouldn't be given any access to it Especially given the fact that the only reason they care is so they can obstruct shipments
GlobeBC WTF!!!!