CBC Victoria Talkback Transcript re Proposal to Tap Oil from Zalinski Wreck

Hi! My name is Dr. Gerald Graham, and I’m an On Scene Commander

for marine oil spill response. Regarding your news report this morning

about the federal government’s proposal to recover oil from the

Zalinksi wreck in Grenville Channel, I'd love to see Harper's

environmental risk assessment for this operation, which is slated to

begin September 16 and last up to 90 days. Specifically, I’d like to see

an assessment of the risks of waiting until next summer as compared to

the risks of proceeding this fall and winter, when the weather

deteriorates and the days are shorter. I suspect Harper’s prime

consideration was the political gains to be had from proceeding now, as

opposed to the political risks of waiting another year. He obviously

wants to be able to tout this as evidence of "world class oil spill

response", one of Christy Clark's five conditions for Northern Gateway

approval, before the Northern Gateway panel submits its report by the

end of 2013. Tellingly, a background document released as part of the

press package for the request for proposals mentions “World class tanker

safety system”, as if somehow this operation had anything to do with

tanker safety. Only in Harper’s mind does it!

Once again, then, Harper is playing politics with the environment, in a

most cynical way.