By DONNA TILLOTSON, 24 HOURS

At a rally outside the Minister of Industry's Vancouver office yesterday, the Western Canadian Wilderness Committee asked "Santa Emerson" to give the gift of an oil-free coast this Christmas.

"Listen to Canadians. Take a smart path and say 'no' to off-shore oil and gas development," said WCWC member Jen Mackay.

The decision on whether to lift the B.C. oil moratorium will be made be Ottawa before the end of the year.

Clad in Santa hats, committee members presented a 10,000- signature petition to the office of Industry Minister David Emerson. The minister was not present.

A federal public input process released in November 2004 showed 75 per cent of people polled, and all coastal B.C. First Nations people polled, opposed lifting the moratorium.

Emerson said he is in no hurry to develop the currently protected West Coast and they are a long way from taking any action.

"If there were any environmental risks we wouldn't proceed," Emerson is on record as saying.