BURST
Whether Mark Carey can smooth over the exclusion of key First Nations from recent consultations on a potential bitumen pipeline to B.C. will be put to the test Tuesday in Prince Rupert where the prime minister will lead a federal delegation to meet with Coastal First Nations.
Last November, leadership of the Coastal First Nations rejected the notion of building a new pipeline to Prince Rupert or Kitimat, with Heiltsuk tribal chief councillor Marilyn Slett declaring, “We will never allow oil tankers on our coast, and this pipeline will never happen.”
The agenda of Tuesday’s meeting will reportedly include discussions about the federal government’s agenda for “nation-building” projects and how Indigenous communities can be included in the push to strengthen the Canadian economy.
However, beyond the federal government making more of a commitment to meet with First Nations, Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief for B.C. Terry Teegee said Ottawa doesn’t seemed to have adjusted its approach with respect to Indigenous opposition.
“I can’t speculate anything other than seeing where the Coastal First Nations are at, which, as far as I know, hasn’t moved anywhere,” Teegee said.
The Coastal First Nations are an alliance of eight Nations within B.C.’s Central Coast region defined as the Great Bear Rainforest.
“They’re not in support of an oil pipeline, so I think it’s a very huge hurdle to jump over,” he added.
Last December, the Assembly of First Nations approved its own resolution rejecting the Ottawa-Alberta agreement and pledging their support to Coastal First Nations.
However, Carney offered assurances that First Nations would have true decision-making authority on any major projects that affect their inherent rights, and didn’t mention the agreement.
Since then, Teegee said he has heard comments from the prime minister’s office that have concerned him.
For instance, Teegee said Carney asked “that we shouldn’t start from a ‘no’ position.”
“But we’ve also heard from the prime minister at the Assembly of First Nations special chiefs assembly that any project needs First Nations consent,” Teegee added. “So, what is it? What does that look like?”
Carney’s delegation in Prince Rupert will reportedly include Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson, Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson, and Vancouver Quadra MP Wade Grant, who is Musqueam.
The meeting is taking place before Carney travels to China, Qatar and Switzerland as part of his campaign to sell Canada in new markets in light of the U.S. becoming a less-reliable trading partner.
Increasing access to the Asia-Pacific region for Canada’s oil is a key reason for Ottawa and Alberta to pursue a potential pipeline.
Political pressure on the proposal increased in early January with the prospect of Venezuela’s oil production being restored after the U.S. incursion to unseat dictator Nicolás Maduro. That could wind up displacing Canadian exports, particularly in the Gulf Coast region.
Building a pipeline to a North Coast port, however, would require lifting Canada’s moratorium on oil tankers off the North Coast. Teegee discouraged the idea of making a short-term decision for what could be a long-term project in which the private sector hasn’t shown a lot of interest.
Teegee said government has “put too much attention and investment into this (agreement)” when it should pay more attention to projects already in the works that have Indigenous support.
Four projects already being considered by Carney’s Major Projects Office for fast-track treatment are located in B.C., including B.C. Hydro’s North Coast Transmission line, liquefied natural gas projects, and a mine expansion.
“These are real and reality based and not speculative,” Teegee said. “I think these are the projects that perhaps demonstrate how to get a project in the works or developed.”
With files from The Canadian Press