These sparkling waters of Nak’al Koh in the Nak’azdli territory of British Columbia are home to a diverse assortment of the animal kingdom-ranging from humans, fish,and moose, to grizzly and black bears. The people of the Nak’azdli territory are well known for their dependence on the water for food and travel. Yet this coexistence with the land and waters of the Nak’azdli territory are threatened by Calgary based oil pipeline builders, Enbridge. Enbridge wants to dig under this water and the surrounding lands in order to build a 1177 kilo-meter long oil pipeline. Even after the recent Supreme Court Ruling that allowed this territory to be under the jurisdiction of the Aboriginal communities that live there, Enbridge is still attempting to negotiate an agreement that will allow them to build their potentially dangerous pipeline (Home)(Montpetit).
The debate over the Pipeline is long and unfinished, with both sides refusing to budge. Enbridge is convinced that the pipeline will cause little to no environmental damage and provide numerous jobs during the pipeline’s construction. While the aboriginal people of BC are strongly opposed to the destruction of their land for ultimately capitalist reasons (Gill)(ForestEthics)(Hoekstra).
As of now there seems to be no solution that satisfies both parties. However, I believe that the Enbridge pipeline will end up being a national mistake. Firstly, the oil pipelines are notorious for oil spills, which can’t be 100% cleaned up with today’s technology, which will damage the already fragile underwater ecosystem. Secondly, disputes between the government and the Aboriginal people have already been long and, in some cases, still unfinished. especially since the recent Supreme Court ruling, adding another opposer to Aboriginal land rights would just prolong the financial and emotional burden that comes with court proceedings and government decisions. Thirdly, from an evolutionary perspective, while Enbridge may provide jobs for people during its construction, the animals and ecosystem that exists is fragile and any small disruption in one ecosystem can have dramatic effects on the world’s ecosystem. And finally, from a business perspective, although there will be a short term increase in jobs and a potential for long term drops in oil prices-due to the increased speed of transportation that the pipeline will allow- there is still the eventual oil spill and the millions of dollars required to mostly clean it up. Overall the enbridge pipeline may just have to remain a pipe dream.
resources:
“ForestEthics | Dear Enbridge: Economics Aren’t Everything. Northern Gateway Pipeline Would Impact Much More..” ForestEthics.org. N.p., 25 June 2013. Web. 6 Oct. 2014. <http://forestethics.org/blog/dear-enbridge-economics-arent-everything-northern-gateway-pipeline-would-impact-much-more>.
Gill, Ian. “To the Tsilhqot’in, with Gloves | The Tyee.” The Tyee. N.p., 26 July 2014. Web. 6 Oct. 2014. <http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2014/07/26/Tsilhqotin-With-Gloves/>.
Grandia, Kevin. “Who is Actually “Anti-Business” When it Comes to the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline?.” DeSmog Canada. N.p., 29 Apr. 2013. Web. 6 Oct. 2014. <http://www.desmog.ca/2013/04/29/enbridge-northern-gateway-pipeline-worth-risk-bc-s-economy>.
Hoekstra, Gordon. “‘There will be no pipeline’.” www.vancouversun.com. N.p., 16 Aug. 2014. Web. 5 Oct. 2014. <http://www.vancouversun.com/news/There+will+pipeline/10122968/story.html>.
“Home.” index.html. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Oct. 2014. <http://www.gatewayfacts.ca/>.
“Image.” Image. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Oct. 2014. <http://www.vancouversun.com/cms/binary/10122973.jpg?size=620x400s>
Montpetit, Isabelle. “Background: The Indian Act.” CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, 14 July 2011. Web. 5 Oct. 2014. <http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/background-the-indian-act-1.1056988>.