Victoria, B.C. — Eric Swanson, director of Dogwood Initiative’s No Tankers campaign, made the following statement in response to today’s announcement by Enbridge regarding shipper agreements for the Northern Gateway pipeline.

“What Enbridge is saying today is that they have the support of shippers, but the support they need is that of British Columbians – and they don’t have it and they are unlikely to ever have it.

“More than 70 B.C. First Nations have declared a ban on oil tankers and pipelines through their territories. Additionally, Enbridge’s project is opposed by the Union of B.C. municipalities, the United Fishermen and Allied Workers’ Union and 75 to 80 per cent of British Columbians, according to polls.

“Enbridge was more than a year behind in filing this information, which should have been in the initial application. We still don’t know who the shippers are and the agreements don’t appear to represent any real obligation on their part.”