Prince Rupert, BC: Over one hundred members of the northern B.C. First Nation of Lax Kw’alaams were bristling with strong opinions when they met with Eagle Spirit Energy representatives for an information session in Prince Rupert on Monday.
After two and half years of listening to First Nations, Eagle Spirit learned that northern aboriginal residents are most concerned about the environment. They want to ensure that a world-class model (with strong aboriginal input) protects the environment for a potential oil pipeline across northern B.C. They have also unanimously turned thumbs down on bitumen being shipped across the province and on Kitimat as a potential port.
Matriarch Mn’gadn wii hayetsk (Helen Johnson) said “Our community met with Eagle Spirit representatives on this project last year and the vote taken resulted in overwhelming support for further assessment of it. Much disinformation was spread after that meeting by the media about opposition to the project. Eagle Spirit was clear that they are not planning to build a refinery on the coast and there was definite interest in exploring the project further from our members.”
Hereditary House Leader Xaiget (Robert Sankey) commented, “Given its importance to the national economy we know oil is eventually coming to the B.C. north coast. We sure don’t want bitumen by rail or by Enbridge’s pipeline. We want the input into an environmental protection model that the Eagle Spirit project offers. Our community has huge unemployment problems and, once we are fully satisfied the environment is being adequately protected, we need the opportunities that are not being provided by environmental do-gooders now.”
In 2014, Eagle Spirit Energy Holdings Ltd. announced it was proceeding with a First Nations-led alternative to the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline.
Source: Canada Newswire