Media advisory - CEP leaders to participate in Defend our Coast action in Victoria

VICTORIA, BC, Oct. 22, 2012 /CNW/ - CEP National President, Dave Coles, and Secretary-Treasurer Gaétan Ménard, will attend today's Defend Our Coast action in Victoria, British Columbia. Thousands of Canadians opposed to Enbridge and Kinder-Morgan pipeline projects have pledged to participate in today's planned action of civil disobedience.

"We cannot continue to build new pipelines just to export raw bitumen overseas while leaving our own communities with no jobs or means to prosper," said CEP President Dave Coles. "We believe that Canada needs to focus on jobs that treat crude oil here in this country instead of rushing to grow our unrefined oil export capacity."

"In the face of growing opposition, Harper and his government does not have a choice but to back down on their export pipeline plans and start engaging with Canadians on their long-term energy needs," Coles added.

What:	Defend our Coast action against pipelines
Who:	National President Dave Coles and National Secretary-Treasurer Gaétan Ménard will be available to comment
Where:	Lawn of B.C. Legislature, Victoria, B.C.
When:	Monday, October 22 at 11:00 PDT

The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada is the largest union in several key sectors of Canada's economy, including forestry, energy, telecommunications and media. CEP represents some 35,000 members employed in oil and gas extraction, transportation, refining, and conversion in the petrochemical and plastics sectors, and 120,000 members in total.

 

SOURCE: COMMUNICATIONS, ENERGY AND PAPERWORKERS UNION OF CANADA

Dave Coles, National President, [phone]
Michelle Walsh, Communications Director, [phone]