Enbridge’s Northern Gateway filed a request last week with the National Energy Board for a three-year extension to start building its pipeline project.
In a press release, Northern Gateway says this would allow time to receive legal and regulatory certainty and to continue discussions with First Nations and Métis communities. In particular, it says more time is required to advance dialogue with coastal communities in northwest British Columbia.
“From the beginning, Northern Gateway should have done a better job of building relationships with First Nations and Métis communities, particularly on the west coast of British Columbia,” said John Carruthers, President of Northern Gateway.
“While we had the right intentions, we should have done a better job of listening and fostering these critical relationships and developing our plans together as true partners,” he said.
Enbridge Inc. proposes the construction of a 1200-km twin pipeline that would carry diluted bitumen from Alberta’s oilsands to B.C.’s coast, passing directly through Burns Lake.
First Nations chiefs in the Burns Lake area – Wet’suwe’ten First Nation Chief Karen Ogen, Burns Lake Band Chief Dan George and Lake Babine Nation Chief Wilf Adam – have repeatedly stated they are against the Northern Gateway Pipeline project.
In June 2014, the federal government approved the $7-billion project, but imposed 209 conditions recommended by the National Energy Board.
The B.C. Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that the province “breached the honour of the Crown” by failing to consult with First Nations on Enbridge’s Northern Gateway Pipeline project. According to the court ruling, Northern Gateway must face a provincial environmental assessment decision, which includes consultation with First Nations across the province.
In October 2015, eighteen lawsuits against Northern Gateway – launched by a collection of First Nations, environmental groups and a labour union – were presented in the federal court of appeal in Vancouver. The litigation hearing concluded Oct. 8, 2015, with judges reserving their decision on whether to sustain or quash the government’s approval of the project.
The federal Liberal government promised during the election last fall to ban crude oil tanker traffic off B.C.’s north coast.
While Trudeau has said he does not support crude oil pipelines through B.C.’s rainforest, reports that there may be wiggle room through exemptions on that promise had Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen describing the government position as “crab walking.”
“To have something as so crystal clear as [Trudeau’s] commitments on the north coast tanker ban, they’re starting to what they call in politics to do the crab walk,” said Cullen. “They start in one position and you can’t really tell that they’re moving, but they start sliding on over and saying ‘well, it depends on how you define oil,’ and ‘what is a tanker anyways?’”
Cullen said the approval of the Northern Gateway project would be a betrayal.
– With files from Chris Gareau
