First Nations chiefs in B.C. call on Carney, Smith to halt pipeline advancement

The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs is urging Ottawa and Alberta’s government to halt progress on the West Coast pipeline. The group asserts that expanding the oil industry will exacerbate climate change and disasters. On the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, the union reaffirms its opposition, arguing that government has failed to consult and cooperate with First Nations in good faith.

The government has already mapped out the pipeline’s route, identified potential development partners, and publicly promoted its economic benefits. However, the union contends that this consultation process lacks meaning when First Nations are only invited to discuss an already predetermined project. Last week, Ottawa moved closer to designating the proposed pipeline as a national interest project under the Building Canada Act, which would allow the government to expedite the pipeline and bypass certain environmental regulations. Ottawa aims to gather public input on the designation until mid-September.