moved for leave to introduce Bill C-328, An Act to amend the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 (oil transportation).
Mr. Speaker, thanks to my British Columbia colleagues, in particular my friend from Nanaimo—Ladysmith, I am proud to introduce a bill that would finally and forever protect B.C.'s north and central coasts from the threat of oil tankers and spills.
After more than a decade fighting the 1,100 kilometre diluted bitumen pipeline of the Enbridge northern gateway, communities across the sea united to finally end this nightmare of a project. It threatened our economy, our environment, and our very way of life. First nations and non-first nations, hunters, fishermen, environmentalists, rural and urban, all united together, standing shoulder to shoulder, for more than a decade to defeat that pipeline. The bill would finally finish the job and protect our coasts for generations to come.
The Prime Minister himself, and many in his cabinet, voted for this legislation in previous Parliaments. In order to restore some faith with British Columbians, it would be nice to see the Prime Minister follow through on some of those commitments. The Liberals cannot continue to portray our good province without consequence. Supporting this clear, permanent protection for our coast would be a true and worthy legacy of this Parliament for generations to come.