Mr. Speaker, in presenting this petition the petitioners make reference to the fact that conversion of oil pipelines to natural gas pipelines presents a number of risks to landowners.
They face an environmental liability. They are faced with substantial costs to attend and to participate in National Energy Board hearings. The National Energy Board Act has no provision for the awarding of intervener funding or for the awarding of costs to landowners unlike provincial energy acts.
Therefore the petitioners humbly pray and call upon Parliament to urge the Government of Canada to amend immediately the National Energy Board Act to provide authority to the National Energy Board to award intervener funding and costs to landowners who intervene in proceedings before the board on issues of public interest relevant to the construction and operation of pipelines.
The petition is signed by some 100 constituents of mine and a couple of neighbouring ridings.