Skip to content

Haisla reaffirm their opposition to Enbridge Northern Gateway

The Haisla have called on the federal government to stop the Northern Gateway proposal.

A decision in favour of the Enbridge Northern Gateway Project will be seen as an "attack" against the Haisla First Nation.

"If Canada proceeds to approve this project, we will view this as an illegal and illegitimate decision and an attack on our First Nations," the Haisla say in an un-signed news release.

If, however, the federal government halts the proposal, "we will see this as a positive turning point in our relationship with the national government."

The Haisla have issued this news release on the cusp of the federal government announcing whether they endorse or not the Joint Review Panel's report on the Gateway project which supported it's construction, save for 209 conditions.

The Haisla said that Canada "never really agreed to talk with us," on the project, but rather sent out a group of consultation experts after the JRP process ended.

"Canada's goal seems to be to create the appearance of consultation and then go ahead and do what it intended to do anyway."

The news release ends with a call for unity if the project is green lit to continue.

"If Prime Minister Harper and his Cabinet decide to approve the Enbridge project we ask all citizens of British Columbia to stand side-by-side with us: to protect the environment; to protect our traditional resources; and to prevent Canada from infringing our aboriginal rights and title. Even with the strong financial backing that Enbridge has received from Chinese government corporations and political support it may receive from Prime Minister Harper and his Cabinet, the Enbridge project cannot overcome a united opposition from the First Nations and the people of British Columbia."