The Northern Gateway Project aims to build a new twin pipeline system running near Edmonton, Alberta, to a new marine terminal in Kitimat, British Columbia to export petroleum and import condensate. What is the issue? Well, for this $7.9-billion Northern Gateway project, piplines have to be built on the heart of Nak’azdli territory, the reserves of First Nations.
Unlike many cases where First Nations were simply forced into signing treaties and contracts, this time the Yinka Dene Alliance, a group of six First Nations, has sworn they will not let the oil pipeline be built. The First Nations is a stakeholder in this project as they think that economic benefit from the pipeline is not worth the risk of a spill on the waterways in their traditional territory.
The First Nations’ firm decision is a serious external threat to the company, Enbridge as Enbridge, if the Northern Gateway Project does not succeed, will lose out on a huge opportunity to expand their company even farther. Even if they were allowed to build the pipelines, the criticism of the public will surely put a burden on the company as it is the largest natural as distributor in Canada and a major oil pipeline operator in North America.
In my opinion, as Enbridge will lose either the opportunity to expand the company, or the reputation without the consent of the First Nations, the only possible solution will be to satisfy the First Nations by better contracts and ensuring them of potential hazards of oil leaking with better security.
Work cited:
Hoekstra, Gordon. “‘There Will Be No Pipeline’ In the Heart of Nak’azdli Territory, There Is a Steely Resolve — the People Are Firmly against Northern Gateway.” Www.vancouversun.com. N.p., 16 Aug. 2014. Web. 05 Oct. 2014. <http://www.vancouversun.com/news/There+will+pipeline/10122968/story.html>.
News, CBC. “Northern Gateway Pipeline Approved: B.C. Reacts.” CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, 18 June 2014. Web. 05 Oct. 2014. <http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/northern-gateway-pipeline-approved-b-c-reacts-1.2672279>.