One of the interesting challenges at Dogwood Initiative is knowing when we can claim success. Government and corporations just don’t stand up and say they’ve been outmaneuvered or proven wrong by a small non-profit. Even when we win a battle it can sometimes be difficult to take the credit.

But there are times when I know they are feeling our push even if they won’t admit it. I recently had one of these moments when I read this quote in a December 5th Edmonton Journal story about Enbridge’s Northern Gateway tanker and pipeline project: “Company spokesman Steve Greenaway said Enbridge expects to file the application toward the end of the first quarter next year.”

December 5th Edmonton Journal story on Enbridge’s Northern Gatewaytanker and pipeline project: “Company spokesman Steve Greenaway saidEnbridge expects to file the application toward the end of the firstquarter next year.”

Not a line that you’d likely get excited about, but if you’ve been following Enbridge’s tanker project as closely as we have at Dogwood Initiative, you would know the statement was significant.

Only a few weeks earlier, on November 20th, Enbridge was on record saying they were on the verge of getting “solid” commercial backing for Gateway and would officially file their regulatory application in December 2009 or January 2010.  Now that timeline has slipped by at least a few months.

What happened between November 20th and December 5? Well Dogwood supporters sent over 13,000 letters to Enbridge’s potential customers (oil suppliers & buyers) alerting them to British Columbian’s determination to keep our coast oil tanker free.

Perhaps that “solid” commercial backing isn’t so solid after all.

So should we take credit for creating further delays to Enbridge’s tanker proposal? Let me know what you think. Add your comment below, or, if you’ve got a bit of insider information, send an e-mail (charles@dogwoodbc.ca). I promise to keep it quiet!

Or write Enbridge CEO, Patrick Daniel, and tell him that it’s time for Enbridge to back away from the Northern Gateway Project. You can use this form.