Kinder Morgan battle rages between
people and governments

> Downtown protest draws thousands

Mercedes Deutscher
News Editor

 

he library square hosted thousands

of protesters on November 19, who
were there to oppose the continuation of
the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

The expansion would twin a second
pipeline to the existing Trans Mountain
pipeline, owned and operated by
Kinder Morgan, in order to transport
up to three times the amount of oil that
the current pipeline does. Overall, it
would cost $6.8 million to complete.

Those opposing the project are
placing increasing pressure on the
federal government, who have until
December 19 to make a decision on
whether or not the project will proceed.

The expansion comes with a list of
risks and concerns. One of those concerns
would be working with Aboriginal land
titles that intersect with where the
pipeline is laid—between Edmonton,
through Kamloops, Sumas, Burnaby, and
terminating at Port Metro. Allegedly,
Kinder Morgan has not been enthusiastic
in speaking with Aboriginal communities
about their projects in the past.

An addition, the Trans Mountain
pipeline also brings up a growing list of
environmental concerns. While a pipeline
is arguably one of the safest methods of
transporting oil, it is not flawless. Since
2005, there have been four oil spills due
to human error on the Trans Mountain
pipeline, and environmentalists are
concerned that tripling the pipeline’s

capacity could have tragic results.
Some may speculate that it is
seeming like the federal Liberals
may go on to approve the project,
because of the creation of a national
oil spill response plan. The Canadian
government may soon see increased
pressure to approve pipeline projects in
the future, especially with an incoming
American government who is allegedly
in favor of an oil-based economy.
One of the many opposing
voices belongs to Vancouver
mayor Gregor Robertson.
“Putting a much bigger pipeline and

seven times the oil tankers into the waters

around Vancouver would be a direct
threat and potential massive economic
impact on Canada and Vancouver in
particular,” Robertson said to CBC.

Another opposing governing
official is Liberal Port Coquitlam-
Coquitlam MP Rob McKinnon, who
has been opposed to the pipeline
even before he was elected in 2015.

“T think the problem here is
that risks don’t match the benefits.
There are benefits absolutely, but the
potential risks are catastrophic. Even
though the likelihood of a spill from a

 

tanker is fairly low, the consequences
of that spill would be enormous,”
McKinnon explained to CBC.

Both Robertson and Green
Party Leader Elizabeth May warned
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that
approving such a project without more
consultation could have disastrous
results for the federal Liberals.

“The message to Justin Trudeau
is clear from British Columbians:
this is a line in the sands, you do not
cross this and think you'll ever elect
a Liberal MP in British Columbia
ever again,” May said to CTV.

Canada Student Loans repayment
threshold raised.

> Students start benefiting from Liberal budget change

Logan Praznik
The Quill

 

he Government of Canada made

changes to the terms of the
Repayment Assistance Plan for its
Canada Student Loans in the 2016
federal budget, meaning that no single
Canadian borrowing a Canada Student
Loan will have to make payments on it
until they earn at least $25,000 per year.

Under the new terms of the
Repayment Assistance Plan, families
under a certain income threshold may
apply for zero payments every six months
if they reside in Canada (with exceptions
for international interns and reservists),
at least six months have passed since the
borrower’s graduation, and the borrower
is up to date on their loan payments.

A single person must have a family
income not more than $25,000 to be
eligible, while a family of two must earn at
most $39,052, three at most $50,457, four
at most $59,512, and five or more at most
$67,825 to be eligible, while those making
over their respective limit may still be able
to apply for a reduced monthly payment.

Ina press release, MaryAnn
Mihychuk, the Minister of Employment,
Workforce Development and Labour,
stated, “The future prosperity of our
country depends on young Canadians
getting the education and training

needed to succeed in the job market. As
a result of this new measure, students
will be better positioned to transition
into the workforce after graduation.”
Ariele Kehler, a student at Brandon
University and a borrower of a Canada

 
 

Photo by JoshNV(coaxial) on Flickr

Student Loan, claimed that the new
changes take “a huge load off [her]
shoulders,” and “are a game changer.”
She further elaborated on her
situation by saying, “Currently, I am
very much dependent on my student
loans to pay tuition and provide me
with basic living expenses. Even
working 20 or more hours a week, |
am a part of Canada’s working poor.”
Changes were also made to Canada
Student Grants on August 1, with all
amounts increased by 50 per cent, so
that full-time students from low-income
families may now be granted $3,000 per
year, while $1,800 is now available for
part-time students from low-income
families, and $1,200 is available for
students from middle-income families.
The changes to the federal budget
mark “the first significant increase”
to the Repayment Assistance Plan’s
thresholds and Canada Student Grants
since 2009, and benefit the—as of
2013-14— approximately 750,000
Canadians repaying Canada Student
Loans, almost 234,000 of which used
the Repayment Assistance Plan.

Image via NaturaCanada.ca