News Release, BC NDP, October 24, 2011

NDP environment critic Rob Fleming Saturday urged MLA Don McRae to defend local shellfish jobs and finally speak out about the proposal for a massive underground coalmine in Comox Valley.

“It’s time for Don McRae to end his silence,” said Fleming, the MLA for Victoria-Swan Lake, while speaking to 100 people at the annual NDP fall dinner at the Florence Filberg Centre.

“Hundreds of long-term sustainable jobs would be lost if this mine harms the shellfish industry in Baynes Sound. But so far Mr. McRae won’t even join the community in calling for the strongest form of environmental assessment.”

Fleming said Premier Christy Clark and the Liberals have made it clear they want to weaken the environmental assessment process, which could allow the mine to proceed without a thorough study into its impacts on air quality, water quality, wild salmon, and the sensitive shellfish industry.

Fleming said he supports sustainable mining based on vigorous environmental standards. “But we have to make sure that existing jobs and the environment are protected,” he said.

“Christy Clark says she’s ‘tired’ of hearing people express their concerns about new mines. It’s time for Don McCrae to decide whether he’s going to listen to his constituents or toe the line.”

Fleming noted that McRae is already in trouble with his Comox Valley constituents for not listening to them when the Liberals tried to imposed the HST on British Columbia.

“This is Don McRae’s chance to show he’s learned from the HST fiasco and start listening to constituents,” he said. “He should at least speak out for a strengthened environmental review.

During his speech Fleming said Adrian Dix and the NDP have a strong vision for generating sustainable jobs in BC.

He called for restricting raw log exports and generating more value-added jobs on Vancouver Island. He also pointed to huge potential in alternative energy, tourism, and strengthening the agriculture sector.

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