Beware of starting trade war with B.C.

I write regarding the threats made by your premier towards the B.C. government.

Section 92 (5) and (8) and 92A(1)( b) of the Constitution Act, 1867, give a province exclusive jurisdiction to manage public lands under their jurisdiction and municipal affairs, and Section 95 gives a province joint jurisdiction with the federal government over agriculture.

The B.C. government has the right and responsibility to protect the income and jobs of our commercial fishermen and those who work in the tourism, forestry and agriculture industries.

As an elected local government official, I served on the Union of B.C. Municipalities Environment Committee where we consistently urged the B.C. Liberal government to do what Environment Minister George Heyman is now proposing to do.

The coast is littered with abandoned vessels that the federal and provincial governments have left local governments to deal with. Given that situation, as the level of government mandated to implement emergency preparedness and response, we do not need a massive new inflow of either raw bitumen and/or dilbit unless our economy and communities can be appropriately protected.

And before Albertans start a trade war, please reflect on the fact that British Columbians likely buy more Alberta beef than you do wine and other B.C. products.

Andy Shadrack, Kaslo, B.C.