the Federal Court of Appeal鈥檚 decision on Thursday to pipeline expansion.
鈥淭his project cannot proceed based on this court order. Indigenous people have won,鈥� said Reuben George of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation. 鈥淭his whole process must be restarted.鈥�
He was among other members the Tsleil-Waututh, as well as the Squamish Nation, Coldwater Indian Band and the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs to talk about next steps in a news conference in Vancouver鈥檚 Crab Park following the decision.
鈥淐anada did not behave honourably with its relationship with the Squamish people鈥� this government played politics with our livelihood,鈥� said Squamish Nation spokesperson Dustin Rivers. 鈥淭heir consultation process was in effect note-taking.鈥�
The appeals court took aim at Ottawa鈥檚 failure to consult with Indigenous peoples in its decision to approve the expansion, saying the government acted in good faith and had an appropriate plan, but they merely listened and recorded Indigenous objections and did not respond with 鈥渞esponsive, considered and meaningful dialogue.鈥�
It means the National Energy Board will have to redo its review of the project and the federal government will have to reengage with Indigenous groups.
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Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs president Grand Chief Stewart Phillip said they were wary of whatever next steps Canada takes.
鈥淢r. Trudeau is in an incredibly awkward position at this moment,鈥� said Phillip. 鈥淲e have no reason whatsoever to trust the Trudeau government鈥檚 grandiose statements. We will take it as it comes.鈥�
Speaking from Victoria later that morning, Premier John Horgan praised the ruling.
鈥淭his case has always been about First Nations rights and about the Tsleil-Waututh asserting their view that the NEB decision was flawed,鈥� said Horgan. 鈥淸Trans Mountain] is something that will no longer be top of mind for British Columbians.鈥�
Horgan acknowledged that not all Canadians, and particularly Albertans, would be happy. He was set to speak to Alberta Premier Rachel Notley later that day.
| Premier John Horgan fields questions about Trans Mountain following a federal appeals court decision to quash the project's approval on Thursday. (Arnold Lim/Black Press Media) |
BC Greens Leader Andrew Weaver call the ruling a 鈥渄eath knell鈥� for the Trans Mountain expansion.
鈥淭he environmental risk of shipping polluted bitumen is not worth the hypothetical benefit,鈥� said Weaver.
鈥淭he reality is that the NEB assessment process has changed鈥� that new process would not have ever approved [Trans Mountain]. I suspect we鈥檙e going to see this project kicked down the road, past the next federal election, and it will quietly die the death of a thousand paper cuts.鈥�
Ottawa has pledged to overhaul the National Energy Board by making the process consider not just environmental impacts but also health, the economy, social issues, gender and Indigenous rights.
The new review body will have a new name 鈥� the Canadian Energy Regulator 鈥� and tighter approval deadlines for many projects.
But gasoline energy experts are wary of what the appeal court鈥檚 decision means for the price at the pump in B.C.
鈥淚t would probably insulate us to a large extent against the price shocks that are caused by problems with the U.S. west coast [supply],鈥� said GasBuddy.com senior analyst Dan McTeague.
Other than one refinery in Burnaby, Washington State ones supply most of the Lower Mainland鈥檚 gas.
Those U.S. refineries bring about 50,000 barrels to B.C. 鈥� the same amount the could be shipped into the Lower Mainland with a twinned Trans Mountain pipeline, McTeague said.
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鈥淚t would plug a significant hole in terms of the fuel deficit we have here in the Lower Mainland,鈥� he noted.
鈥淚t would do it in a way that wouldn鈥檛 involve having to building another refinery and go through the risk of 10 years of back-and-forth.鈥�
McTeague said that while the court鈥檚 decision won鈥檛 have an immediate impact on pricing, it will make future investors wary of bringing refineries to B.C.
鈥淎nybody who thought that we were going to build a refinery near Vancouver anytime soon better take a look at that decision鈥� that鈥檚 a clear call to any investor in this world that Canada is definitively closed for business.鈥�
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