Clark jabs Trump, asks Trudeau to ban thermal coal shipments through BC

SURREY (NEWS 1130) – As a potential trade war heats up with the US, Premier Christy Clark wants the federal government to ban the shipment of thermal coal through BC ports and she has written a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asking for just that.

Clark says she hasn’t previously raised this issue because, as she puts it in her letter, friends and trading partners cooperate. But with the US having announced heavy tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber, Clark is happy to call for a ban now.

“That coal — most of it is American, but not all of it — that’s shipped through our ports, is dirty. And it fouls the air. It fouls our oceans, it’s terrible for the environment. The US was wrong when it targeted Catalyst, and it’s wrong to go after BC softwood now,” says Clark. “Every time these allegations are tested in an impartial court, they are struck down, because the facts are on our side. We’ll keep negotiating, but if we have to go back to court, we will — and we’ll win again.”

In the letter, Clark points out that over the last five years ecological or environmental concerns have prevented the construction of any new coal export facility on the US West Coast. And that’s why thermal coal has been coming up to BC for shipment instead.

She says BC is no longer in a position to have to play nice on this file. “It’s the right thing to do. But I haven’t felt free to be able to do that because I haven’t wanted to upset negotiations that seem to be going along.”

BC NDP Leader John Horgan says he’s not against the idea of banning thermal coal shipments through BC ports, but he’s also suggesting Christy Clark waited too long to make that threat. “The BC Liberals like to spend time in courts. They spent a lot of time in courts with teachers and that got us nowhere. It was dollars wasted when we could have been taking action. I’m going to directly involve myself in the softwood lumber negotiations and make sure we get a deal.”

Horgan says he also wants to talk to Prime Minister Trudeau about reducing raw log exports and energy.

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