Trudeau to push to make Trans Mountain and Energy East pipelines a reality

First Nations vow to kill Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion with lawsuits

Despite a recommendation of federal approval from the National Energy Board (NEB), opponents of the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain expansion remain steadfast in their belief that the pipeline project will never break Canadian soil.

On Thursday morning, NEB panelists approved the controversial energy project with a list of 157 environmental, technical and financial conditions that for the most part, failed to satisfy the Indigenous leaders and environmentalists who have fought against it since its inception. Those same adversaries however, were not shaken by the board's ruling, convinced that an onslaught of court cases will stop Trans Mountain in its tracks if issued federal approval in December.

"We’re still steadfast against it, we have a work plan and we’re going to implement it," Rueben George, spokesperson for the local Tsleil-Waututh Nation, told National Observer. "We're cleaning up our inlet and rivers. We still are educating the community and public.

"We’re going to New York next week to talk some of the shareholders and we might go to Norway to talk to the carriers of the tankers."

quote:

Court case on top of court case

With so much at stake, Indigenous leaders, politicians, and civil society organizations will be parsing through the NEB's recommendations carefully over the next few months, said Ecojustice lawyer Karen Campbell, who expects an onslaught of court cases will arise if the Trudeau government tries to push the project forward.

More than 20 municipalities and 17 First Nations along the proposed expansion's route are in vehement opposition to the project and many of the 400 interveners and 1,250 commentators who participated in the NEB hearings for the expansion argued passionately against it.

​“If cabinet approves it, I expect you will see court case layering on top of court case," Campbell explained, having represented Living Oceans Society and the Raincoast Conservation Foundation during the hearings earlier this year. “There are certainly court cases that could turn this around."

So far it has been really difficult for First Nations to get courts to stop things like Site C which has the same First Nations Charter rights arguments as the pipelines. But the courts will have to stop it because you can bet your booties that the panel the Liberals appointed will give it a green light. 

So far it has been really difficult for First Nations to get courts to stop things like Site C which has the same First Nations Charter rights arguments as the pipelines. But the courts will have to stop it because you can bet your booties that the panel the Liberals appointed will give it a green light. 

short term or long term jobs?

 

Solutions abound:

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/carol-linnitt/geothermal-energy-alberta-wor...

 

NorthReport wrote:

How many jobs will this pipeline project create. Strange dat!

As the proponent has said in its NEB presentation it will create jobs in the clean up industry. In fact the prognosis is so good the the oil industry has the rights to the contract. 

 

For anyone interested this is a link to the Western Canada Marine Response Corporation.

http://wcmrc.com/

Kinder Morgan intends to make money on this both ways. Any spills are just gravy for their clean-up arm (which is of course a separate corporation). The fox is in charge of the henhouse when it comes to the BC coast clean-up industry. The theory of polluter pay has been used to set up a system that has given a consortium of oil and gas companies control over all spills. Kinder Morgan was the majority shareholder in the last figures I have seen.

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In 1976, oil companies pooled their money to create Burrard Clean, a co-operative to clean up oil spills. In 1995, there were changes to the Canada Shipping Act that required Burrard Clean become federally certified, and the name changed to Western Canada Marine Response Corporation. This private company is still industry funded. The idea is taxpayers shouldn't have to cover the cleanup operations, and if there's a spill, the company at fault pays for the cleanup.  

WCMRC's shareholders are Imperial Oil, Shell Canada, Chevron, Suncor and Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline. (Chevron is the only one of the first four still operating a local refinery.) Kinder Morgan (aka Trans Mountain in this case) owns 50.9 per cent of the shares, which are divided based on the volume of oil each handles.

Here's an excerpt from Trans Mountain's response to an information request from Robyn Allan as part of the NEB hearing:

Those five oil companies also sit on WCMRC's board. WCMRC also makes money by charging ships and oil handling facilities membership fees, as required by federal law. There are more than 2,000 dues-paying members, including marine vessels, air services, lumber mills, fishing camps, ferries, port authorities and cruise ships.

 

http://www.burnabynow.com/opinion/kinder-morgan-s-relationship-to-wester...

 

Kinder Morgan approval a “call to arms” says Grand Chief Stewart Phillip

The decision by the National Energy Board (NEB) to approve the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline project is a “call to arms” said the Grand Chief of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs.

Stewart Phillip is a well-known opponent of the project and was arrested in the fall of 2014 on Burnaby mountain for protesting Kinder Morgan and says he “absolutely, without question,” is willing to get arrested again.

“In many ways, yesterday’s NEB decision will represent a call to arms to the multitude of groups and organizations that are vehemently opposed the Trans Mountain pipeline proposal,” said Phillip. “It will serve to exasperate and escalate an already volatile situation with respect to the grave concerns people have in regard to a catastrophic tanker spill or a mainline rupture along the route.”

quote:

“I want to make something abundantly clear here…the NEB declared this is in the national public interest. I find that to be complete hypocrisy given the enormous public opposition to the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline proposal,” he said.

“Let’s be clear, it’s not just Indigenous people’s that are opposed to this project; the City of Vancouver is opposed, the City of Burnaby is opposed, there’s a multitude of environmental conservation organizations that are opposed. The vast majority of the general public have publicized their opposition to this project. The public that the NEB in its self-serving way is catering to is the oil industry and its crony’s in government. It’s a very small interest group,” said Phillip.

..last night i attended this town hall. the group i was with, people's climate plan, and here in wpg it is a coming together of manitoba energy justice coalition, 350.org and leadnow. also most of us came to this event on a bus partially paid for by the council of canadians. at one point someone at the mic requested that all those opposed to the pipeline please stand up. almost the whole room stood up. very heartening to see. i was also very impressed with how easily, quickly and comfortable people were in coming together to work as part of a coalition. lots of young folks involved and women seem to be in the majority.

ps: brigette dePape was part of the group. she is working for the council of canadians these days. last time i saw her was at the vancouver occupy.

Environment Minister Catherine McKenna talks climate change in Winnipeg

Huddled around tables and even on the floor, hundreds of people gathered with Canada's Environment Minister on Wednesday night in Winnipeg to discuss a national climate strategy.

Catherine McKenna held a town hall meeting at the Canad Inns Fort Garry to discuss climate change and what role the federal government needs to take.

More than 300 people attended the event which meant an overflow into the hallways where McKenna joined some of them on the floor to answer questions and listen to concerns surrounding environment issues that not only affect Manitobans but people across the country and around the world....

MegB wrote:

epaulo13, there should be some kind of citizen journalism award here on babble. Your reporting on environmental issues - in particular pipelines/tankers - is fantastic. Thank you! And a warm thank you to North Report, as well.

I second that!!

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..at another town hall meeting held in the york region where applause erupted after the statement to shut down the tarsands stop building the pipelines.

Liberal MP ducks climate questionsLiberal MP ducks climate questions

Last night Ricochet tried to ask Liberal MP Francesco Sorbara how he squares building more pipelines with Canada's Paris commitment to 1.5 degrees of global warming. Spoiler alert: he didn't have an answer.

Battleground B.C.: Kinder Morgan vs. the people

About 70 members of First Nations and the B.C. communities south of the Fraser River met on May 24 at the Sumas First Nation Community Hall to talk about the threat of Kinder Morgan’s proposed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project.

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs and one of the presenters, said, “Over the 42 years of working on issues confronting Indigenous people, I’ve learned a few lessons. Know thy enemy.” He then proceeded to talk about meetings that he’s had with the Harper and Trudeau federal governments. “Like any government, they wanted to see if there was any wavering in the opposition.

“We have been fighting the extremes of the Harper government. The impact on our communities has been devastating. Appalling levels of child poverty, an increasing and alarming level of youth suicides, and harsh cutbacks to essential and desperately needed social service programs.

“Now we are in another battle, Battleground B.C.”...

Canadians need input on climate change

By: BrigetteDePape

It was an incredible night in Winnipeg at the town hall on climate change with Environment Minister Catherine McKenna. I am so inspired by our city coming out in full force, with more than 300 people packing into the town hall, sitting at discussion tables, with another 75 people in an overflow room.

quote:

However, an important question remains, as outlined by Andrea Harden-Donahue in an article on the first consultation held in Ottawa: "How exactly will the conclusions from the town halls influence the development of a national climate plan?"

We are part of the People’s Climate Plan delegation, a coalition of groups advocating for a climate policy that aims to keep fossil fuels in the ground, seeks a transition to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2050 and supports justice for indigenous peoples, workers and climate-impacted communities. Groups that make up the coalition include 350.org, Leadnow, the Manitoba Energy Justice coalition, the Council of Canadians and a wide range of people and climate leaders. The coalition hosted a series of meetings in the lead-up to the event to get prepared.

I was blown away by the climate leaders in the room. We were given a number of questions to answer per discussion group, and each group had one minute to report back. We were divided into tables. The four groups were: carbon pricing, renewable energy, mitigating climate change and preparing for the effects.

We heard inspiring and innovative ideas, including: rooftop gardens, the need to support oil industry workers in retraining (from groups such as Iron and Earth), supporting indigenous-led renewable energies (from groups such as AKI energy in Winnipeg), support for local renewable energy projects and a need for a national cycling strategy, to name a few.

It was clear there were shared views from much of the group. When Alex Paterson of the Manitoba Energy Justice Coalition asked, "Who here opposes the Energy East pipeline?" nearly the entire room stood up. The same happened when Sadie-Phoenix Savoie asked: "Who opposes the TPP?"

Offshore markets? What markets?

Robyn Allan

In his May 23 opinion piece, Tim McMillan, president and CEO of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, claimed that “New pipelines will help connect Canada’s landlocked oil reserves, the third-largest in the world, to tidal ports and from there to global markets where demand for oil is growing.”

It may be true that pipelines can be built to get oil to marine ports, and it may be true that demand for crude oil in global markets is growing, but it is not true that demand in global markets for Alberta’s heavy crude oil is growing — but that is what Mr. McMillan pretends when he links these statements together in one sentence.

Trans Mountain has had more than half a decade to build demand for Alberta’s crude in offshore markets with support from favourable National Energy Board rulings. It has failed to do so. In 2010, Kinder Morgan promised NEB that if the Board approved its application for firm service to the Westridge dock in Burnaby that offshore markets would, unequivocally, be developed.

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In 2010, there were 71 crude tanker arrivals in Vancouver harbour, by 2013 at the height of oil prices the number had fallen to 48, and in 2015, while Trans Mountain was telling the public that 60 tankers a year on average were arriving in Vancouver, the number had actually fallen to half that. Only 32 crude oil tankers arrived last year. In January, according to the Port of Vancouver, only one crude tanker arrived and that tanker was likely filled to serve US Oil’s refinery demand in Washington state. There is no Asian demand for Alberta’s oil.

quote:

Now CAPP, as represented by McMillan, is flogging the Board’s conclusions as if they were reasonably arrived at in a deliberate attempt to pretend the economic benefits from the project outweigh its environmental cost. This is a false dichotomy, and British Columbians deserve better.

..no i hadn't heard quizzical. can't seem to find anything when i search it. it will have to pass the peoples' approval process i'm sure.

Here's a look inside Big Oil's "ground war" to change how you think

They're adopting American-style grassroots marketing tactics, according to political scientist Adam Harmes. The shift is part of a growing trend toward “campaign-style advocacy” and “business-sponsored grassroots lobbying.”

Harmes, a professor at Western University, presented his research at the 2016 Congress for the Humanities and Social Sciences in Calgary this week, describing how oil and gas companies were engaged in a “ground war” using “paid, earned and social media” and professional political consultants to gain social license for projects.

“It’s this weird chain of events where marketing techniques that were used to sell products were (then) adopted by political parties in order to sell candidates and policies,” Harmes said. “Then they were further innovated in the political world. Now those techniques have been brought back to the business world to be used in lobbying campaigns.”

It's increasingly sophisticated paid advertising, Harmes says

These movements — which Harmes calls “subsidized publics” — differ from organic grassroots movements or manufactured ones by blending elements of the two. Advocacy organizations designed to push an established agenda by corporations, they look and feel like grassroots organizations because they tap into existing political sentiment among a certain group of people.

They use social media campaigns to collect data and create “supporter progression models,” which Harmes says move subscribers to ever-more active forms of support, often using localized advertising to target specific markets....

epaulo13 wrote:

..no i hadn't heard quizzical. can't seem to find anything when i search it. it will have to pass the peoples' approval process i'm sure.

i was watching Global morning news

 

Lax Kw'alaams First Nation opposes Eagle Spirit Energy pipeline

A First Nation in B.C. is contradicting recent claims from Eagle Spirit Energy about its support for a pipeline that would transport crude oil through its territory from Alberta to B.C.'s northwest coast.

Eagle Spirit Energy met with dozens of First Nations communities last weekend. On Tuesday, it announced that 200 representatives from 30 First Nations, including the Lax Kw'alaams, spoke out in support of the company's proposed pipeline project. 

But Lax Kw'alaams Mayor Garry Reece says that's not entirely correct.

"That's not the case," said Reece. "There's some that support it, yeah, but that's a handful of them."

Eagle Spirit Energy calls the coastal Lax Kw'alaams community a key to its proposed pipeline — as it's the region to which oil from Alberta would be shipped.

Reece says the proposal needs approval from the entire community, not just a few representatives.

"Until we hear from our people to see if they're going to support oil, no matter what kind of oil it is, it has to come from our people."

..a new city of vancouver web page

It's Not Worth The Risk

The Kinder Morgan Pipeline is the wrong approach and puts our region's environment and economy at risk.

Here's what you can do to help, right now.

Pipelines are a comin' creating good paying jobs for Canadian workers.

OPEC Turmoil Could Turn IEA’s Balanced Market Into Shortfall

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-15/opec-turmoil-could-tur...

NorthReport wrote:

Pipelines are a comin' creating good paying jobs for Canadian workers.

OPEC Turmoil Could Turn IEA’s Balanced Market Into Shortfall

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-15/opec-turmoil-could-tur...

Yes, many people don't realize that pipelines also provide jobs even after they are built including computer programmers and other jobs you wouldn't necessarily associate with pipelines.

I want to join in the chorus saluting epaulo for his tireless environmental reporting.

And big news from here: the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador has said a categorical NO to Energy East:

http://www.ledevoir.com/environnement/actualites-sur-l-environnement/473...

L’Assemblée des Premières Nations Québec-Labrador s’oppose catégoriquement à la construction du pipeline Énergie Est. Ce refus constitue d’ailleurs un coup dur pour TransCanada, puisque les autochtones ont promis de défendre leur position devant les tribunaux si le gouvernement Trudeau décide malgré tout d’autoriser le projet d’exportation de pétrole des sables bitumineux.

« Il s’agit d’une position très claire d’opposition formelle et officielle au projet d’oléoduc », a résumé mercredi le chef de l’Assemblée des Premières Nations Québec-Labrador (APNQL), Ghislain Picard, lors d’une conférence de presse tenue à Québec pour annoncer l’adoption de la résolution d’opposition au controversé pipeline.

« C’est non à Énergie Est, point final », a poursuivi le grand chef de Kanesatake, Serge Simon, invoquant des « raisons sociales, économiques, environnementales » pour s’opposer au projet de la pétrolière albertaine. Les représentants des Premières Nations ont ainsi souligné leur refus de contempler, de loin, le « désastre écologique » imputable à l’exploitation des sables bitumineux. « Les peuples autochtones sont toujours les premiers à souffrir des effets des changements climatiques », a déploré Serge Simon.

http://www.theprovince.com/business/assembly+first+nations+quebec+labrad...

Squamish Nation files court case against NEB approval of Kinder Morgan expansion

The Squamish Nation, whose traditional territories span a large swath of B.C.’s south coast, filed an application for judicial review on Thursday in Vancouver’s Federal Court of Appeal. It seeks to quash the NEB’s decision and refer it back for reconsideration.

The nation asserted in the documents that the NEB had an obligation to determine whether the Canadian government discharged its duty to consult and, if necessary, accommodate the band.

"Ottawa needs to hear loud and clear that they can’t just run roughshod over aboriginal rights and title. That era has come and gone," said Chief Ian Campbell in an interview.

quote:

The Squamish Nation said its traditional territory covers 6,732 square kilometres, including parts of Vancouver, Burnaby and New Westminster and all of North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Whistler and Squamish. These boundaries encompass Howe Sound, Burrard Inlet and English Bay.

The nation said in the court documents that the project would include a substantial expansion of infrastructure and shipping in these areas, including a new pipeline along a new route to a terminal in Burnaby and a seven−fold increase in tanker traffic in Burrard Inlet.

It said Trans Mountain did not consult with the Squamish Nation in any way about the location of the project in its traditional territories.

Lower Nicola Indian Band blasts governments for failure to consult on Trans Mountain

The Lower Nicola Indian Band has united their voice with more than 50 First Nations leaders, calling on the provincial and federal governments to meet with them regarding the potential Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

The open letter, addressed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and premiers Christy Clark and Rachel Notley, details “grave concerns” that the groups have with the consultation process to date.

“We are writing to advise you that engagement of our Nations with respect to [Trans Mountain Expansion] has been woefully inadequate, and not in line with your respective government’s constitutional and international obligations,” the opening of the letter reads.

The groups are also calling on both levels of government to pay restitution for the construction of the original Trans Mountain pipeline, which began operations in 1953.

The letter alleges that the construction of the original pipeline was done without consultation or consent of First Nations Peoples at the time.

The proposed route of the twinned pipeline would cross seven reserve territories in B.C., three of which are utilized by the Lower Nicola Indian Band....

City launches judicial review of Kinder Morgan’s pipeline expansion

The City of Vancouver has filed with the Federal Court of Appeal an application for a judicial review of the National Energy Board’s (NEB) decision to conditionally recommend Kinder Morgan’s pipeline expansion project (the “Project”), citing that it is both invalid and unlawful.

Throughout the NEB review process, we and many other intervenors have raised significant concerns about its flawed process which:

• Excluded any opportunities for oral cross-examination of experts and evidence
• Provided inadequate information sharing
• Failed to properly consult affected communities along the pipeline and tanker route