From CFact.org

The word “Enbridge” is not a popular one in British Columbia. The Albertan oil company is attempting to build a pipeline that will transport oil through BC to the Burrard Inlet in Vancouver. The decision to move forward with this project was made by the Canadian government earlier this year, and has since sparked outrage in the province.

Barring an oil spill, this decision will likely have little effect on most British Columbians. However, there is one demographic that will surely be affected: the aboriginal people of BC. The Canadian government has failed this group numerous times throughout history, and unfortunately this pipeline is a continuation of that trend. Gordon Hoekstra recently published an article in the Vancouver Sun outlining some concerns of the Nak’azdli people regarding the pipeline. At the top of their list, the environmental danger it poses to sockeye salmon and the Nechako sturgeon.

As a British Columbian, the battle between the people of BC and the government seems a little ironic, as they don’t seem to be listening to the people they have sworn to serve. But this example is a little more complicated than that, and there are many external factors at play. First and foremost, market forces. Believe it or not, Canadians need oil, and so does the rest of the world. Second, macroeconomic forces. Canada is one of the largest exporters of oil in the world, and we rely heavily on the revenue it generates for us. Third, BC is only one province. Most other provinces, especially Alberta, are in favor of this pipeline.

Although the government’s decision is an unpopular one in BC, and it poses a direct threat to aboriginal land, understand that this decision was not made lightly, and cannot have been an easy one to make.