Tory candidate Sabrina Zuniga says ground will absorb oil spills

Toronto Conservative candidate and former science teacherSabrina Zunigais facing criticismonline for comments she made about how the ground is able to absorb oil spills.

"Oil is a natural substance. So spilling into the environment, the land will absorb it, 'cause that's what oil is," she said during an interview with CPAC(Cable Public Affairs Channel).

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"It's just, when there is too much [oil] at once, that's when the difficulty comes in," she said.

The Tory hopeful'scomments were picked up by several news organizations,which helpedfuel a wave of reaction online.

Zunigais running in the battlegroundSpadina-FortYork ridingin downtown Toronto against LiberalcandidateAdam Vaughan andNDP candidateOliviaChow, both veteran politicians. Sharon Danley is running for the Greens.

The Tory candidatemade the comments about oil absorptionin reference to pipeline safety.

"A lot of people would like to see the pipeline get going and go through, because it is a safer method than putting [oil] on trains, for instance,"Zunigasaid."We have the technology to keep the pipelines safe, to cut off if anything is going to spill."

It is not clear which pipeline projectZuniga was referring to.

CBC News asked Zuniga's campaign office for comment, but has yet to receive a response.

Parties differ on pipeline support

Pipeline politics have been a divisive issue during this campaign. The Tories are in favour of Keystone XL and approve in principlethe Northern Gateway, Kinder Morgan and Energy East pipelines, as long as the projectspass regulatory hurdles.

The NDP opposes Northern Gateway and Keystone XL, but is open to Energy East. The party'sposition on Kinder Morgan is unclear.

The Liberals also oppose Northern Gateway, but are in favour of Keystone XL and open to Kinder Morgan and Energy East. The Greens oppose all four pipelines.

Thoughcertain microbes are able to break downcomponentsof oil, the damage following oil spills can lingerfor years. Several notable pipeline oil spills in Albertahave caused contamination and environmental damagein recent years.

In 2013, documents obtained by CBC News found that the pipeline safety incident rate doubled over thepast decade.

Zunigaa former science teacher

Zunigaused to work as ascience teacher. Her LinkedInprofile says she taught science at W.T. WoodsonHigh School in Virginia, the City Adult Learning Centre and at the Royal Ontario Museum, specializing in biology and chemistry.

The profile also says she was the chair of the science and math departments at Great Lakes College of Toronto, a private high school.

It says thatZunigastudied biology and chemistry at Baker University in Kansas, where she earned her bachelor of science. She also has a PhD from the University of Toronto.

Zuniga touted thesequalifications during the CPAC interviewwhen asked about jobs for youth.

"I'm here to champion research and innovation. Again, teaching science and teaching biology and chemistry in high school, this is a natural for me. It's my background and this is where the jobs are going to come."

The comments surprisedmore than a few Twitter users.

Some even took the opportunity topointZuniga to examples of the environmental damage caused bypastoil spills.

...while others just decided to have a little fun with it all.