The BC Chamber of Commerce says with the Government putting the full stop on Northern Gateway, they’ve failed to take a second look at Aboriginal consultation.
“It plunges the resource development sector into even greater uncertainty around how to build relationships with Indigenous peoples and move projects forward,” said Val Litwin, president and CEO of the BC Chamber of Commerce.
Liwin says Canada could sharpen its competitive edge in the natural resource sector with stronger relationships and argues the decision provokes troubling ambiguity in how to properly conduct aboriginal consultation.
“With an economy that increasingly depends on private-sector development, we must tighten our focus on aggressively welcoming top-tier projects so that we land the investment dollars we need.”
Northern Gateway was nearly dead after the federal court of appeal rejected the government’s approval citing a lack of consultation.