To: Editor  – Oliver Daily News

From: Tim Garrish

The negative  reaction to the recent NEB decision to allow the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and with it one additional tanker a day in the BC coastal waters is off base.  If the opponents  are truly concerned for the health of the orca population you would expect them to be also incensed with the announcement the same day that BC Ferries is increasing its annual sailings by 2700.

As has been noted previously by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Jonathan Wilkinson the impact on the orcas of a ferry or tanker are comparable.  The orcas don’t know the difference. 

If we are serious about protecting the orcas should we not also be moving aggressively to reduce ferry sailings not increase them?