When words fail to move an issue, action is required. This, for those who oppose the oil terminal lease, is the essential meaning coming out of the recent Vancouver port commission’s vote to continue the lease.
All of the words — the testimony, data and facts — arguing against the lease have failed to change the outcome. The lease continues.
The “no on the oil terminal” campaign must now shift focus to the port commissioner District 1 race in the 2017 election. Two “no” votes are needed to kill the terminal lease. Eric LaBrant, the port’s District 3 commissioner, is one. Electing a strong “no” candidate to the District 1 position in November would be the second.
It will be a contested race, there will be a well-funded “yes on the oil terminal” candidate. Those opposed to the oil terminal must understand that this port commissioner election is the critical step to kill the oil terminal and it will take all of the money, marbles and chalk that can be generated to win it.
This is our public port and it’s the citizens here, not the state’s site evaluation council nor the governor, that should be the ones to do what needs to be done.
