Enbridge’s Janet Holder isn’t giving up on the Northern Gateway pipeline. In fact she says she is confident construction could begin as soon as next year. Before that happens, Holder says there is still plenty of work to be done. “We’ve been at this for 12 years, in the regulatory process for four,” Holder said. […]
What category do you file this idea under?
Oil companies in Northern Alberta have used air cannons to scare birds from tailings ponds. The next step to “protecting” wildlife from being impacted by the oil industry might be setting off explosives to deter whales from swimming near any potential spill from tankers on the west coast. The Globe and Mail obtained documents outlining […]
Comment: The Supreme Court rules on First Nations rights and Canadians duty
A Supreme Court decision in June has better defined what is meant, and owed to First Nations bands, by the term “aboriginal title” in this country. A long-sought victory for a collection of bands in central British Columbia has obvious implications for development on Crown land in areas not covered by treaty, most obviously the […]
A change of approach in getting First Nations support
Enbridge has had its challenges garnering support from First Nations affected by the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline, so other companies are learning from it. Pacific Future Energy Corp. has designs to build what it calls the world’s greenest refinery on British Columbia’s coast. The company’s Executive Chairman, Samer Salameh says “our pre-feasibility study has begun, […]
Comment: Northern Gateway pipeline-risk versus reward
(excerpt from Gwyn Morgan commentary) The proposed Northern Gateway project has become a flashpoint for the growing debate about the safety of oil pipelines. Yet despite the arguments put forward by its proponents and opponents, many Canadians lack a broader perspective from which to measure the risks and rewards of what would be a vital […]
Alberta Government studies Supreme Court on First Nations land rights
It’s a decision that could impact resource projects around the country. The Supreme Court justices ruled overwhelmingly in favour of giving the Tsilhqot’in First Nation in title to land in the interior of British Columbia. A lawyer, Larry Innes, who represents the Athabasca Chipewyan, a band downstream from the Fort McMurray region had this to […]
Fears an increase in oil tanker traffic in BC poses risks to wildlife
With the possibility of more oil tanker traffic along the BC coast, the State of Washington commissioned a study to consider the damage a spill could cause to the environment. The state’s Ecology Department returned with a report suggesting wildlife, sea otters in particular, would be at great risk. “The relative risk of an oil […]
Editorial: Former Greenpeace co-founder in favour of pipeline
Why am I supportive of the federal government’s recent decision to allow the Northern Gateway Pipeline project to move ahead, subject to tough conditions? As a lifelong environmentalist, I’m often asked myself that question. My answer begins with a single fact: there are a billion cars in the world that need oil products everyday. […]