POLITICS: Straight Answer from NDP on Nucs and LNG. No answers from Greens, Libs, and Cons

I put the following questions to all 4 candidates from NB southwest. The following answers come from Andrew Graham, NDP. No answers yet from Greens, Conservatives or Liberals. More at Facebook. Search for Andrew Graham, Art MacKay

QUESTION 1

Hi Andrew. Looking for answers from all southwest Candidate. 1) What is your position on LNG development in Passamaquoddy Bay and the passage of tankers through Head Harbour Passage. What is your position on establishing an MPA or Management Zone to protect this area from unsuitable developments in the future?

18 hours ago ·  ·  · See friendship

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    Art MacKay Thanks Andrew. I'll spread the word that the NDP will maintain Canada's opposition to the LNG developments in Passamaquoddy.
    

    about an hour ago · 
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    Andrew Gordon Graham 
    

    Hello Art, I have never accepted that LNG development has any sane rationale for existence in Passamaquoddy Bay since the first meeting I attended at the Eastport Commons in August of 2003. Charting the LNG tankers (and their security!) through Head Harbour Passage, when you consider the fog, tides, and the existing traffic of fishing boats is simply an unacceptable risk, and an intrusion into the life and economy of the in-shore fishermen and tourism industry here. In regard to MPA, I was just talking to Peter Stoffer, NDP Fisheries Critic a couple of nights ago, and he brought up the benefits of having a protected zone for fisheries stocks that need a "fallow" area. Of course he also said we have to fight back against the corporatization of our fisheries, though some would say this is too late. But if we can bring in regulations to protect small fish harvesters, as Peter has fought for, and develop co-management and community consultation models, then I believe there is hope.

    
    

    59 minutes ago · 
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    Art MacKay Actually the fishery was corporatized not that many decades ago. I was in the middle and watch a complient government alter regulations that were designed to kill the individual and community fisheries ... the original idea was to bring them all under the control of the "big3" companies. The companies actually couldn;t handle it and government had to bail them out ... twice.
    

    16 minutes ago · 
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    Art MacKay That said, a serious government could reverse that by using the same approach and allocating protected areas associated with breeding and spawning as well as community controlled areas similar to some of the New England states. It's doable ... if there is will ... and the power.
    

    13 minutes ago · 

QUESTION 2

Next question. Do you support the decommissioning of the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station?

18 hours ago ·  ·  · See friendship

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    Andrew Gordon Graham 
    

    Hi again Art! What is disturbing about this problem is the position of our provincial governments in defiance of common sense. When our own NB Public Utilities Board recommended against refurbishment we had an opportunity to make a break from the past and begin researching and investing in renewables and conservation. What was so difficult about that? So, yes, let's stop throwing good money after bad and start developing a real energy plan, that emphasizes diversity and community control, not this corporate energy hub nonsense.

    
    

    47 minutes ago · 
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    Art MacKay I'm with you. Thanks Andrew. Now let's see what your competitors say. They were contacted with the same answers. I think we can assume the Greens agree. Now what about the Cons and Libs? So far no answers.

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