B.C. Green Party leader promises NDP government will fall if it pursues 'LNG folly'

B.C. Green Party leader Andrew Weaver took to Twitter Wednesday, promisingthe NDP willlose its ability to govern if it continues to pursue the development of the province's liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry.

"Lest there be any doubt, let me be perfectly clear:NDPgovernment will fall in non confidenceif after all that has happened it continues to pursueLNGfolly #bcpoli#lineinthesand," Weaver wrote on Twitter, linking to an opinion piece in the Vancouver Sun.

Premier JohnHorgantold the Sun writerthat while in Asia later this month, he willconfirm his openness to a proposedLNGexport terminal inKitimat, B.C., proposed by Royal Dutch Shell in partnership with Chinese, Japanese and Korean investors. Shell says it will proceed with B.C. energy plans despite political uncertainty.

The Greens agreed to support theNDPbecause of their "supposed commitment"to greenhouse gas reduction, Weaver said. "A push forLNGmeans they are not serious."

A spokesperson for the B.C. Green Party said the party is concerned aboutkeeping the province within emissions targets, and that negotiations with theNDPwould be initiated before moving to a non-confidence vote.

Northern mayors demand support for gas industry

Weaver's Twitter comments came at the same time agroup of municipal and First Nations leaders were meeting in Prince Georgeto draft a letter demanding government support forLNG.

The mayors of Dawson Creek and Fort St. John in B.C.'s northeast where gas for the export facility would come from joined forces withKitimatmayor PhilGermuthandHaislaNation councillor Kevin Stewart (known asTum'un'la'ha) to demand the province "strongly support"LNGdevelopment.

On Thursday morning, the four stood on the stage of the Natural Resources Forum in Prince George, and invited everyone who supports theLNGindustry to join them while they spoke in favour of the industry.

Stewartsaid it had been a "steep learning curve," but he believesLNGdevelopment will"make lives better" by creating jobs and economic development for youth in his community.

Fort St. John Mayor LoriAckermansaid export facilities to Asia are needed for the economic future of B.C., so it is less dependent on the United States.

"That is not a country I want to be tied to the hip to,"she said.

Ackerman also said she didn't know why Weaver was voicing his opposition toLNG, since he seemed supportive during an earlier visit to the region.

"[He said] as long as the industry was developed in a responsible, sustainable matter then he would be open to seeing it come to fruition,"she said. "It's an interesting shift."

At the same conference,Horgan presented himselfWednesdayas a champion of B.C.'s resource industry, while acknowledging his party's dependence on the Greens to maintain the ability to govern.

• B.C. Premier John Horgan seeks to bridge urban-rural divide in visit to Prince George

Speaking to over 900 delegates, Horgan said he was measuring his time as premier in "weeks"because of his position as leader of a minority government, and promised to communicate the importance of the resource industry, including natural gas, to both voters in urban centers and to foreign leaders in an upcoming trade mission to Asia.

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