I doubt you need me to convince you to cast a ballot on November 15. The stakes in these municipal elections are higher than ever – especially for voters concerned by proposals to ship crude oil and thermal coal through B.C. communities. Company reps from Kinder Morgan admit the opposition they’ve encountered so far among local mayors and councils worries them. It turns out municipalities have far more power than anticipated to slow down pipeline development and turn public opinion against oil tankers. You know the next part of the story. Sure enough, Kinder Morgan is spending untold sums of money on advertising in places where critics have staked their re-election on the issue. This oil-funded campaign helps pro-pipeline candidates while making ordinary citizens feel small and powerless. There’s a simple way, Rolef, that you can push back against this narrative of inevitability. Promise yourself you’ll vote on November 15. To help you identify civic leaders who share your values, we surveyed candidates province-wide for their views on oil tankers, thermal coal exports and local democracy, then compiled their answers on LocalVote2014.ca. Roughly 500 candidates in races across the province took the time to provide thoughtful and comprehensive responses. We hope this research is helpful as you prepare to vote in your local election. Municipal politicians are being told they have no jurisdiction over projects that would have obvious impacts on their constituents. Unfortunately, many candidates seem content with that argument. That gives us a clear choice: we can elect leaders who believe local people are powerless or leaders who will work to shift that balance of power on our behalf. Visit LocalVote2014.ca today to pledge to vote and view candidate responses to our survey. Looking ahead to November 15, I’m confident that we can elect representatives with a strong mandate to carry our shared values and priorities straight into a four-year term at city hall. But it’s not going to happen unless we get enough voters to the polls. Pledge to vote at LocalVote2014.ca right now. Thank you for your continued support. Kai Nagata, Energy & Democracy Director P.S. We have no way of knowing how much Kinder Morgan is spending in these municipal elections. That’s because Elections BC says the Texas-based oil giant doesn’t have to register as a third-party advertiser. No registration, no disclosure. Meanwhile, polling shows Burnaby residents’ number one election concern is the Trans Mountain expansion proposal. Kinder Morgan’s multi-platform advertising blitz, timed to coincide with the election campaign, is clearly designed to sway voters. It’s time to cut though the propaganda. Get real answers from real candidates on the issues we know are important to you: pledge to vote at LocalVote2014.ca right now and see candidates’ responses in their own words.
Posted on: Sat, 01 Nov 2014 08:33:10 +0000
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