Clark says northern candidate not offside on fracking reviews

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Liberal Leader Christy Clark denies one of her candidates in northeastern British Columbia has crossed the party line over comments made about reviewing the province’s natural gas industry.

The New Democrats say Peace River South Liberal candidate Mike Bernier — who’s also the mayor of Dawson Creek — supports the NDP’s position when it comes to calling for a scientific review of fracking, the controversial process used to extract natural gas from deep underground.

Clark says Bernier and the Liberals support reviews of fracking, but that support comes from an industry-positive perspective while the NDP is looking for ways to justify halting development.

The New Democrats say in a statement that Bernier is mimicking the NDP’s platform positions that say the party would conduct an independent, expert-led review of fracking.

Clark says the Liberals have already launched fracking reviews over possible health concerns and water usage, but the ultimate goals of their reviews are to gain knowledge that improves the industry.

In Kamloops, Clark told workers at a manufacturing company which supplies the mining industry that her government would extend current allowances and credits available to new mines and mine expansions by another four years.