Aboriginal leaders speak out against proposed pipeline
Posted Dec 2, 2011 8:08 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It looks like energy giant Enbridge is going to have a battle on its hands trying to get approval for it’s $5.5-billion Northern Gateway pipeline project to the west coast.
A coalition of 61 First Nations have signed a declaration aimed at blocking the massive development.
The message: “B.C. is closed to new pipelines.”
Chief Jackie Thomas of the Saik`uz First Nation says aboriginals will use every means possible to block the line.
The Executive Director of Sierra Club Canada John Bennett tells 660News he’s not surprised by the growing opposition.
Bennett says aboriginal leaders are more interested in preserving their land for future generations than putting money in the bank.
Enbridge has repeated its offer to give aboriginals an economic stake in the project worth about one-billion dollars.
Ottawa is very interested in seeing the project proceed, especially after the U.S. put off making a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline project.
Public hearings into the project are set to begin next month, with more than 4-thousand people already registered to speak.
If approved, the pipeline would move more than 500,00 thousand barrels a day of oilsands oil almost 12-hundred kilometres to the B.C. coast.
