MP Nathan Cullen is questioning the motives behind the announcement by federal Minister, Greg Rickford on new initiatives to collaborate with First Nations on energy development.
“It might be too little too late. This comes out of Doug Eyford’s report to the federal government and he quite starkly pointed out that there is no leadership, there is no presence from the feds in the region. that means that First Nations don’t have a lot of trust because they don’t have a relationship. So this is an attempt to start the relationship but it is very eleventh hour for things like Gateway.”
He says the final Enbridge decision is due next month so it’s too late to start real consultation with First Nations on that.
He says on LNG development, Cullen and other politicians have called for years for something like the new Major Projects Management Office, which Rickford announced earlier this week.
The new office aims to coordinate engagement and dialogue on energy infrastructure development with BC First Nations and industry.
Rickford also announced a tripartite forum between federal and provincial governments and BC First Nations which will bring them all together to “align efforts on issues directly impacting Aboriginal participation in development”.