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MP says feds not eager to lift moratorium

Skeena MP Nathan Cullen says it appears the federal government is not especially eager to lift the moratorium on oil and gas exploration in Hecate Strait, in the wake of a government-commissioned report which shows the majority of coastal residents are opposed to the idea.
Mr. Cullen said the Priddle report sends a strong message to the feds, and said the feeling in Ottawa is that the only group interested in seeing the moratorium lifted is the BC government.
"The only movement on this is coming out of Victoria," Mr. Cullen said in a conference call with northwest media Thursday. "There is not a big lobby coming from the hill."
No oil and gas lobbyists are pressuring the government to lift the moratorium, he said. However, several lobbyists have been promoting wind power recently.
Mr. Cullen said the mechanical failure last week on a drilling platform in the Atlantic also sends a strong message. Luckily, the platform was far offshore and the currents are sending the oil spill away from land.
"If that same spill had happened in Hecate Strait I'm not sure we would be feeling so good about it," he said.