Krueger, Lake can’t win for trying

Well it just surprises the heck out of me that the railway-tie issue has become a political football. B.C. New Democrats today are accusing Terry Lake and Kevin Krueger of “trying to rewrite history” in their position that ACC hasn’t fulfilled its “social licence.”

They say our two MLAs supported the project until public opinion changed their minds. That’s a bad thing, according to the NDP. Of course, if Lake and Krueger were saying the project is great and they’re with it all the way, they’d be accused of not listening to public opinion.

Some days a politician can’t win for trying. Anyway, here’s the press release:

“Instead of trying to rewrite history B.C. Liberal MLAs Terry Lake and Kevin Krueger need to take responsibility for not ensuring a full environmental assessment was done before permits were issued to build a plant that would burn toxic creosote-soaked railway ties near downtown Kamloops, say New Democrats.
 
“The B.C. Liberal government could have ordered a full environmental assessment of the project before issuing permits to the company, but instead of advocating on behalf of their constituents, both MLAs were quick to dismiss the concerns of the community and support the toxic project:
 
“·        B.C. Liberal MLA Terry Lake criticized the people of Kamloops for being ‘emotional’ about the plant, and expressed his support for the proposal, saying, “being a politician is tricky, for sure, because you want to please everyone. I’ve learned that you can’t please everyone. You have to live up to your own principles. If people don’t like that or don’t respect me for that, then I’ll go back to neutering cats and dogs.” (CHNL, The Jim Harrison Show, Jan. 14, 2010)
  
“·         B.C. Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger expressed his support for the plant by saying “I know that various people are saying very emotional things about it, but we trust scientists and engineers when we get on airplanes. When we permit sewage and water treatment facilities. When we write permits for industry. And I’m satisfied that people have done their jobs, and that our health and safety is not going to be compromised by this facility.” (CHNL, Jan. 15th, 2010)”

Meanwhile, of course, the New Democrats and leader Carole James are, according to them at least, the good guys.

 “Mr.Lake and Mr. Krueger’s decision to ignore the concerns of Kamloops residents until opposition to the project reached a fever pitch has increased the likelihood of a costly legal battle for the province, and their continuing reluctance to call for a full environmental assessment- which is what residents want- shows that their sudden conversion on this issue is shallow one.”

Of course, there was no provision for a traditional environmental assessment under the current process, but there certainly will be a very thorough de facto environmental assessment via the appeal, so all the politicking is so much blather.