Métis leaders in oilsands region say they haven’t been consulted on proposed Pacific Link pipeline
Métis leaders raised concerns at news conference in Fort McMurray
Métis leaders in Alberta’s Wood Buffalo region are accusing the federal government of excluding them from discussions on the proposed Pacific Link pipeline project.
Before announcing earlier this month that the new West Coast oil pipeline would be designated as being in the national interest under the Building Canada Act, Prime Minister Mark Carney met with several First Nations leaders about the issue. But the leaders of six Métis communities say he never met with them to discuss the proposed pipeline before announcing it.
At a news conference held in Fort McMurray, Alta., on Tuesday, Métis leaders noted they were also not invited to the joint federal-provincial news conference for the pipeline announcement on Oct. 1, and were not told about ownership stakes for the project.
“Silence is acceptance and that’s why we’re not silent,” Kelly Myers, district captain for Fort McMurray Métis, told reporters.
“Based on the fact that there were so many others that were invited to this announcement and we were not clearly shows a sign of disrespect to Métis as a whole, and it’s one that we’re just not going to accept.”
CBC News contacted the federal government’s Privy Council Office for comment but had yet to receive a response at the time of publication.
If approved, the proposed Pacific Link pipeline will carry one million barrels of oil per day from Alberta’s oilsands region to tankers at a deepwater port near Delta, B.C. The federal government and Alberta’s provincial government hope to have approvals for construction by September 2027 and to have the pipeline operational by 2032 or 2033.
Carney has said a 10 per cent ownership stake will be available for Indigenous communities. The federal government says there will also be Indigenous contracting and employment opportunities.
“We’re developing this pipeline with Indigenous peoples involved from the start,” Carney said during his announcement on Oct. 1. “This is the start of that development with the opportunities to share in the prosperity that Pacific Link will create.”
The Métis leaders who say they were not consulted about the project represent communities in Fort McMurray, Fort Chipewyan, Fort McKay, Willow Lake, Conklin and Chard.
At Tuesday’s news conference, none of them said they opposed the pipeline, but in a statement and media scrum, they said they have concerns and questions that they want to raise before any federal approvals are signed.
Ruby Ladouceur, president of Fort Chipewyan Métis Nation, said she believes the pipeline will lead to more oilsands development. Premier Danielle Smith has previously said she wants oilsands production to double to eight million barrels per day by 2035.
Ladouceur said she worries that increased production will increase the risk of accidents that could have environmental impacts on water, land and the air.
“Anything done without us is actually against us,” said Ladouceur, who also pointed out that Carney met with First Nations chiefs on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
“They didn’t consult with us, they didn’t even let us know about anything that was taking place about the pipeline and it goes through our region,” said Stella Lavallee, president of Willow Lake Métis Nation.
Zoe De Jonge, press secretary for Alberta Indigenous Relations Minister Rajan Sawhney, told CBC News in an email that the ministry has been meeting with Indigenous leaders about the project. She said the province could not comment on any engagement decisions made by the federal government.
“Our commitment to engaging with First Nations and Métis communities remains a priority for Alberta’s government,” said De Jonge.
“Minister Sawhney has met with Métis leaders and communities across the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo region, and remains committed to maintaining those relationships through continued dialogue and engagement.”
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Q&A | Years in the making: Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in chief weighs in on proposed Dawson regional land use plan, Eye on the Arctic
Sweden: Land use rules getting hindering climate adaptation efforts in Swedish municipalities, Radio Sweden
