October 21, 2014 — American intervention and “blind luck” prevented disaster on B.C.’s north coast this week when a disabled cargo ship drifted dangerously close to the shores of Haida Gwaii, opposition critics charged Monday in the House of Commons.
A commercial U.S. tug towed the Russian-flagged Simushir to safety at Prince Rupert after the Canadian Coast Guard struggled to rein in the ship. The vessel was carrying hundreds of tonnes of fuel when it lost power Thursday, sparking concerns it would create an environmental disaster if it ran aground, and prompting concern from New Democrats and Liberals over the prospect of a dramatic increase in supertankers plying the same waters.
NDP finance critic Nathan Cullen, who represents the Skeena-Bulkley Valley riding in northern B.C., demanded to know how anyone can back a “government plan to put hundreds of oil supertankers off the B.C. coast when we don’t even have the capacity to protect ourselves right now.”
He said only “blind luck” prevented a disaster before help could arrive.“If dodging a bullet doesn’t wake you up, I don’t know what will. It’s important for Canadians to understand how close this was.”
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