OLD HARRY: Will the Trudeau Save Our Gulf?

OLD HARRY: Will the Trudeau Save Our Gulf?

Postby Oscar » Fri Jan 13, 2017 11:12 am

Will the Trudeau government #saveourgulf? (BACKGROUND is below . . . )

[ http://canadians.org/blog/will-trudeau- ... aveourgulf ]

January 13, 2017 - 11:19 am

The Federal and Newfoundland and Labrador governments have until the end of day tomorrow to veto the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB)’s approval of Corridor’s exploration licence for the Old Harry site in the Gulf of St. Lawrence until 2021.

Seven chapters from the Atlantic region (South Shore, Moncton, Saint John, Fredericton, PEI, St. John’s and Kent County) joined the Council of Canadians nationally along with many others to sign on to a letter sent this morning [ http://www.sierraclub.ca/en//open-lette ... e-the-gulf ], calling on the Federal government to finally stand up and protect the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The letter explains, in part, “On December 15th, 2016, in spite of receiving thousands of letters of concern from Canadians, the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) announced its decision to grant a new licence to Corridor Resources in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

“The federal and provincial governments had thirty days, up until January 14th, to veto the C-NLOPB’s wrong-headed decision. We are now in the final week.

“Corridor Resources has already gotten three free extensions on its licence in the Gulf. The Atlantic Accord Act only allows a company to hold onto a licence for up to nine years. Issuing a new licence to Corridor Resources is contrary to Canada's obligation to respect the rights of Indigenous peoples, to the intent of the Accords Act, and to Canada’s commitment to expand protection of Canada's ocean spaces.”

They also published an opinion editorial in the Guardian (PEI) today on the issue [ http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/opinion/20 ... -gulf.html ], written by Gretchen Fitzgerald, the Sierra Club Canada Foundation's National Program Director. Gretchen writes, “It’s past time for the federal and provincial ministers to listen to these concerns and use the powers they hold under the constitution, Oceans Act, Species At Risk Act, and – yes - even the Accord Act to protect the waters of the Gulf.

"The decision to approve this license after a company has sat on a license for nine years is questionable under the Accord Act, and I predict the board’s decision will receive scrutiny in court.

"But wouldn’t it be nice if our leaders relieved citizens of the duty to protect our coastlines on our own, and did what I believe is fundamentally their job?”

Click here to read more about the Council of Canadians' work to protect the Gulf of St. Lawrence:
[ http://canadians.org/search/node/%22gul ... awrence%22 ]

Click here to join us:
[ http://canadians.org/join ]

Angela Giles's blog
Council of Canadians' Atlantic regional organizer.
[ http://canadians.org/blogs/angela-giles ]

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In Defence of the Gulf of St. Lawrence - Open Letter to Federal and Provincial Ministers

[ http://www.sierraclub.ca/en//open-lette ... e-the-gulf ]

Gretchen Fitzgerald — January 12, 2017

"To the federal and provincial governments who have the jurisdiction over this issue, we submit this letter - signed by over 1400 people in under 72 hours. It is time to stand up for the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the people who border it's waters, and the thousands of species who call it home. . . .

= = = = =

Council of Canadians wants federal Fisheries minister to oppose oil & gas drilling in the Gulf of St. Lawrence

[ http://canadians.org/blog/council-canad ... t-lawrence ]

January 14, 2016 - 7:40pm . . . .

QUOTE: "In November 2010, we joined with Save Our Seas and Shores [ http://saveourseasandshores.ca/ ], Attention Fragile (Magdalen Islands), Sierra Club Atlantic, and the Ecology Action Centre to call for a moratorium on oil and gas development in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In April 2011, our Atlantic chapters issued a statement that noted, "The lack of public consultation and the information void around the proposed drilling has created more questions than answers."" . . . . .

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Old Harry oil and gas prospect gets a new lease on life

[ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/pol ... le1215321/ ]

Rhéal Séguin QUEBEC — The Globe and Mail Published Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010 9:25PM EDT Last updated Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012 4:14PM EDT

Quebec announced that a draft agreement will be reached with Ottawa this fall on the exploration and drilling of the Old Harry oil and natural gas prospect in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Minister of Natural Resources Nathalie Normandeau said she based her optimism on a statement made Thursday in St. John's by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who said Ottawa was prepared to reach a deal.

- - - - SNIP - - - -

Quebec has always refused to recognize federal jurisdiction over the ownership of offshore resources, which has been a major stumbling block to reaching an agreement. The province appears willing to set aside its constitutional demand without abandoning it and sign an administrative agreement to eventually allow exploration and drilling at the Old Harry deposit to begin.

There is also the issue of setting up a dispute settlement mechanism to allow for an independent tribunal to rule on an oversees boundary dispute between Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.

The oil field straddles a boundary defined in 1964, which was approved by the four Atlantic provinces and Quebec. However, Newfoundland and Labrador now refuses to recognize the portion of the 1964 boundary that separates the province's offshore area from Quebec and has laid claim to most of the Old Harry offshore oil reserve.

"Quebec will negotiate a deal that takes into account its prerogatives and its needs," Ms. Normandeau said. "But I'm not going to negotiate here in public and reveal our negotiating strategies."

An agreement would allow for exploration of the Old Harry site to begin in 2012. That's when the province hopes to lift a moratorium on energy development in the Gulf of St. Lawrence after it receives environmental impact studies.
Oscar
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