cruising on the Hecate Strait at sunset
Politics

Public Letter to Aaron Gunn, MP for North Island Powell River

A public letter from the Green Party executive for North Island Powell River Re the Memorandum of Understanding between Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta, November 27, 2025 – Energy Collaboration

Dear Mr. Gunn,

We are writing to urge you to protest the new Memorandum of Understanding between

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, dated November 27, 2025. This sweeping energy agreement lays the groundwork for a new oil pipeline through BC to the North Coast and opens the door to weakening the federal tanker moratorium which has been acknowledged since the 1970’s and was passed into law in 2019. Exceptions to laws that have been duly approved in the House of Commons and Senate in effect nullify the effectiveness of that law and the effectiveness of government. The implications are far reaching and dangerous to Canada’s sovereignty and role internationally.

As you know, the north coast includes coastline and waters in our riding. While the focus is on Hecate Strait, the concerns for safety and preventing an environmental catastrophe extend to all of our riding for which you have been given the mandate to represent. The people of our riding include all political parties and Indigenous First Nations who have not been consulted and who are resolutely opposed to any further damage to their coastal waters.

The position of the Federal Green Party is as follows:

  • we oppose any attempt to carve out exceptions to Canada’s tanker ban
  • we reject Ottawa negotiating pipeline pathways through BC without bringing first Nations or the Province of BC to the table
  • we expect you, as our MP, to publicly oppose any new pipeline proposal to the north coastlineNorth Island – Powell River

Elizabeth May, Green Party leader states:

“The MOU allows the federal government to commit billions of dollars to increasing production of oil and gas in Alberta, to nuclear reactors in Alberta, to new pipelines across British Columbia, and lifting the oil tanker ban on the northwest coast of British Columbia. It is a betrayal of our climate commitments, of international law, of domestic law, and of the rights of Indigenous peoples.” The risks to our democracy, our economy, and our environment affect all of us, regardless of political affiliation. As Ms. May has said, “This is a time, and these are the issues that go beyond partisanship.”

This may be your first real test as a new MP, and we beseech you to put your constituents first and to stand with the safety and integrity of the land and waters of this riding. What you say and do in this regard will be noted and remembered.

Links of Interest:

Top image credit: Hecate Strait – Photo by upyernoz via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Sign-up for Cortes Currents email-out:

To receive an emailed catalogue of articles on Cortes Currents, send a (blank) email to subscribe to your desired frequency: