VANCOUVER | TRADITIONAL, UNCEDED TERRITORIES OF THE xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (MUSQUEAM), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (SQUAMISH) AND səlilwətaɬ (TSLEIL-WAUTUTH) FIRST NATIONS

In response to the proposal, Janelle Lapointe, Senior Adviser, Indigenous Strategy, David Suzuki Foundation said:

“Alberta’s proposal for a new pipeline to B.C.’s coast is a fossil fuel fantasy that takes us further away from true reconciliation.

“In the decade since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its calls to action, the Canadian government has failed to shift the foundations of its economic system in ways that would truly make space for Indigenous self-determination. In the absence of land back, redress and systemic change, we have corporations and colonial governments cherry-picking language from the commission in attempts to legitimize resource extraction.

“This proposal with no proponent, no route and no market doesn’t just defy business logic, it defies federal law that bans large oil tankers from loading on the North Coast of B.C. Many coastal First Nations are calling for the tanker ban to be upheld, exercising their right to defend pristine coastal waters. Governments cannot ignore this clear opposition or reverse the tanker ban law in the name of ‘economic reconciliation.’

“Real reconciliation means land restitution, renewable energy and community power. We call on the federal government to respect Indigenous jurisdiction and reject this proposal outright.”

In response to the proposal, Stephen Thomas, Clean Energy Manager, David Suzuki Foundation said:

“Building pipelines is a waste of time, money and resources that only benefits fossil fuel billionaires in the long run. This is the opposite of what the government should be doing for people in Canada struggling with high costs and economic uncertainty.

“While the rest of the world is racing to save people money on energy bills by electrifying energy uses with low-cost renewable power, Canada should be doing the same. Meanwhile, the Alberta government is again taking a huge step back by planning to lock our economy into oil and gas the world will no longer want, while contributing more to the climate impacts that are already costing billions of dollars and thousands of lives in Canada and around the world.

“We need good jobs that are here to stay, affordable energy for all and healthy air to breathe. Building Canada’s east-west grid with renewables while prioritizing Indigenous-led projects and good union work is a real solution to the overlapping crises we face.

“The benefits of an east-west grid will be felt widely throughout the country, creating tens of thousands of good jobs, improving energy security and saving people money on their energy bills. This is where our attention should be, and this is where federal and provincial governments should be putting their focus and resources.”

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For more information or interviews, please contact:

Rosie Rattray: rrattray@davidsuzuki.org