Rick Stiebel/News Gazette WCWC Victoria campaign director Ken Wu, right, hands a pamphlet to volunteer/supporter Cindy Robinson during a rally at Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca MP Keith Martin's constituency office Wednesday.

By Rick Stiebel

Just say no to offshore drilling in B.C.

That's the position the Western Canada Wilderness Committee reinforced during a rally at Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca MP Dr. Keith Martin's office last week.

"We're not protesting the federal Liberals because they haven't done anything to show us they are lifting the moratorium (on drilling for gas and oil off the coast of B.C.)," said WCWC Victoria campaign director Ken Wu. "But we're encouraging them to publicly comment on keeping it in place before the next election."

Wu cited the potential for oil spills, substantial greenhouse gas emissions and impact on marine life from seismic testing blasts as major concerns.

Wu also pointed out that offshore drilling in Newfoundland is conducted 300 kilometres off the coast, but it could be as close as 20 kilometres from shore if it goes ahead near the sensitive coastlines of the Queen Charlotte Islands.

"It's the one-year anniversary of public input into the process," Wu said. "Seventy-five per cent of people want the moratorium maintained. Now the government needs to move on maintaining it."

Martin, who was in Ottawa when the rally took place at his Langford office, said he's glad the WCWC came out, and that he's discussed the situation with the organization in the past.

"It's up to scientists to assess the potential for damage to the environment," Martin said in an interview with the News Gazette. "The question is can it be done in an environmentally safe manner. If that's the case, we have a responsibility to the people of B.C. to do it in an environmentally safe way."

Martin believes the oil and gas resources need to be utilized, providing scientists give it the green light because of the jobs the work will create and the benefits to the economy.

Long-time WCWC supporter and volunteer Cindy Robinson said it's important to keep the moratorium in place to protect marine life. "It's already under stress from human activities," said Robinson. "We shouldn't go down a path that creates destruction through oil spills and seismic activity from blasting."

Federal NDP candidates Randall Garrison,(Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca), Jennifer Burgis, (Saanich-Gulf Islands) and Denise Savoie (Victoria) issued a news release the day of the rally demanding the government keep the moratorium in place.