OTTAWA - Yesterday, the replacement agency to the National Energy Board, the Canadian Energy Regulator (CER), approved a request from the Crown Corporation that owns and promotes the Transmountain pipeline (TMX) expansion to change the pipeline’s route.
To avoid "costly delays," a firm and critical commitment to the Stk'emlupsemc Te Secwepemc Nation (SSN) First Nation has now been ever so casually broken.
The route change is no small thing. For the Stk'emlupsemc Te Secwepemc Nation (SSN) First Nation, the area now to be subjected to open trenches as opposed to the promised micro-tunnelling is very sacred to the Stk'emlupsemc Te Secwepemc Nation. It is called the" Pipsell" and is central to the creation stories of the Indigenous people of this area.
“ If we could find the Garden of Eden of Judeo-Christian scripture, would we allow a pipeline to dredge it to save some money in construction? “ asked Green Leader Elizabeth May. “We are days away from the National Statutory Holiday that marks our national commitment to Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples across Canada. This CER decision makes a mockery of Canada's commitment to Reconciliation“.
The TMX pipeline threatens our future, violating the warnings of science that no nation should build any new fossil fuel infrastructure. Canada is squandering an estimated $31 billion to build this climate disaster. It has already violated many commitments to Indigenous peoples along its route. This most recent outrage must not stand.
“First they bought the pipeline. Then the pipeline became more expensive. Who do we throw under the bus to make savings? First Nations. It’s pathetic,” said Jonathan Pedneault, Deputy Leader. “Why don’t the Liberals just cut us all some slack and cancel this outrageous waste of public money?”
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