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The head of the Confederation of British Columbia Indian Chiefs has backed away from his previous opposition to the Northern Gateway Pipeline project connecting Alberta to the Pacific Ocean.
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Grand Chief Stuart Phillip says while he “really fought” the construction of the Northern Gateway before it was canceled in 2016, that was a “different time” and Canada now has “no choice” but to reconsider.
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This comes after Alberta Premier Daniel Smith suggested on social media that construction of the pipeline needed to “begin immediately” to diversify the country’s export markets, in light of U.S. President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs on Canadian exports.
Philip says he’s concerned that if Canada doesn’t “build this kind of infrastructure, Trump will,” and he will do so without “any regard for the environment or the rule of law.”
Philip is attending a meeting between British Columbia’s cabinet and First Nations leaders in the province in Vancouver on Tuesday, where coordinated approaches to Trump’s tariff threats are expected to be a major topic of discussion.
First Nations leaders say they need to be at the table for any “Team Canada” approach to dealing with the Trump administration.
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But leaders, including Philip, chief political executive of First Nations Chief Cheryl Casimer, and BC Regional Chief of Assembly of First Nations Terry Teague, say no one has approached Indigenous communities about collaboration yet.
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