Canadian aboriginal group: Ottawa may have to delay decision on Teck oilsands mine

[webfact]

Canadian aboriginal group: Ottawa may have to delay decision on Teck oilsands mine

By David Ljunggren

 

FILE PHOTO: A pro-oil counter-protester stands with climate strikers at the Alberta Legislature in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada October 18, 2019. REUTERS/Amber Bracken/File Photo

 

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada may have to delay a decision on whether to approve a massive new oilsands mine because some indigenous people have not been consulted adequately, an influential aboriginal band is suggesting.

 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government must rule by end-February whether Teck Resources Ltd can build its C$20.6 billion ($15.7 billion) Frontier mine in northern Alberta, a project that is opposed by environmentalists and some legislators in the ruling Liberal party.

 

Ottawa has consulted broadly with aboriginal groups in the area, many of whom back the project. But the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation is complaining the Albertan provincial government has not done enough to address its concerns.

 

"We are still talking with Alberta and remain hopeful that progress can be made from now until the end of February, when cabinet makes its decision on project approval," Chief Allan Adam said in a Feb. 4 letter obtained by Reuters on Monday.

 

"However, this seems increasingly unlikely within the prescribed time lines for a final decision on the project."

 

The letter was addressed to federal Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, who last month noted cabinet has the power to delay a verdict that will be challenging for Trudeau regardless how the decision goes.

 

Green activists say approving Frontier would make a mockery of Trudeau's promise to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. But saying no could infuriate Alberta, already angry over what local politicians claim is Ottawa's bias against the energy industry.

 

The issue could be challenging. A court ruled in 2018 that Ottawa had failed to properly consult indigenous people before approving a crude pipeline, forcing talks to reopen.

 

"I would certainly encourage the government of Alberta to engage (in) conversations with the local First Nations in a manner that ensures the consultations are deep," minister Wilkinson told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

 

Wilkinson though did not answer directly when asked whether Ottawa might delay the decision.

 

Adam listed 13 areas of concern, most of them related to the need to do more to protect the environment. The Alberta government said it had consulted extensively with the group, offering several ways to boost environmental protections.

 

"We recognize that Chief Adam intends to drive a hard bargain, as should any official representing his constituents. However, the Government of Alberta must carefully consider the interests of Alberta taxpayers," said Jess Sinclair, spokeswoman for provincial environment minister Jason Nixon.

 

(Additional reporting by Steve Scherer in Ottawa:; Editing by Marguerita Choy and Grant McCool)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-02-11

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[Scott]

Troll post removed.

 

[blazes]

Clearly, this particular Indian band has not been offered a sufficiently large inducement to "approve" the project.

The vast majority of First Nations peoples are in favour of oil and gas development and are even bidding to become major owners of certain O&G projects.

 

Canada is going down the drain....

 

[Stargeezr]

The Liberal party leader is a dictator, who has forced a carbon tax onto the Canadian

people. He really should go to jail for this action. The whole population is affected by this

cash cow tax, that has not done anything for the climate, except make everyone in Canada

spend more money every day just to live. Just my opinion.

Geezer

[CanuckThai]

Canadian oil sands projects, are the most environmentally conscious and monitored oil and gas projects on earth.  Period.  Everyone is aware of that.  This is the cash grab/engineered political delay, coordinated between environmentalists, aboriginal groups and financed by U.S. lobbyists.   

 

How dare Canada restart energy production growth and west coast pipeline/shipping terminal alternatives to the US stranglehold (without paying the piper(s)).  

[digger70]

12 hours ago, webfact said:

Green activists say approving Frontier would make a mockery of Trudeau's promise to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. But saying no could infuriate Alberta, already angry over what local politicians claim is Ottawa's bias against the energy industry.

Green activist again , don't they live in houses ? there's wood/ plastic/  glass/metal/leather /cotton  and a lot more + cars /rubber/copper/aluminium and a lot more . If them Greens are so serious tell them to walk barefooted stark naked and live on the beach under a palm tree and No fires. that should cut the greenhouse gas a bit.

[Greasewheel]

1 hour ago, digger70 said:

Green activist again , don't they live in houses ? there's wood/ plastic/  glass/metal/leather /cotton  and a lot more + cars /rubber/copper/aluminium and a lot more . If them Greens are so serious tell them to walk barefooted stark naked and live on the beach under a palm tree and No fires. that should cut the greenhouse gas a bit.

I find this argument to be so juvenile and completely without merit. 

[pegman]

The arrogance of ClosetBoy and his State of Alberta regime is only surpassed by the federal Tory cabinet he was part of. Their hissy fits needlessly delayed TransMountain and now Teck. Since Rene Kenney came into office State of Alberta crude has dropped in price by 40%. At these prices it will never get built anyway.

[digger70]

14 hours ago, Greasewheel said:

I find this argument to be so juvenile and completely without merit. 

You would say that wouldn't you. Someone speaks the Truth and the Green Supporters are the ones that start trouble Whinging whining protesting .You walk with them by the looks of your post .  ????