With the B.C. election coming up October 19, here are some things that candidates need to know about First Nations, LNG development, and natural resource extraction:
First, forget the myth that Indigenous Peoples largely oppose resource development.
That myth should have died with a national survey in 2022 that found 65 percent of Indigenous respondents support or strongly support natural-resource development — but we still hear the myth from anti-resource groups.
Second, hear Chief Councillor Crystal Smith of the Haisla Nation on LNG development, and her nation’s project: Cedar LNG:
“The Haisla Nation, with our partner Pembina, have made history as the world’s first Indigenous community to develop an LNG facility as majority owners.
“Because of our Nation’s determination and environmental leadership, Cedar LNG will make the most significant mark on economic reconciliation ever in our country.
“With Cedar LNG, we have proven that Indigenous communities can successfully forge a path to economic independence and generational prosperity.
“We have created a model for how sustainable energy development should be done, with Indigenous Nations as owners, balancing environmental interests with global demand for cleaner energy.”
As a result of LNG Canada, the Haisla have been able to build a new apartment complex, a new health centre and have invested $5 million in a new language and culture centre to help preserve the Haisla language.
“We’re seeing a very low unemployment rate. If they’re not working on the project, they are actually in school.”
(Smith is also chair of the First Nations LNG Alliance.)
Through TC Energy, Coastal GasLink, which has built the pipeline to feed LNG Canada and Cedar LNG, has offered 20 First Nations options to take a 10-per-cent equity share in the pipeline.
Then there’s Eva Clayton, president of the Nisga’a Nation, on its Ksi Lisims LNG project, and the PRGT pipeline that will feed it:
“Ksi Lisims LNG project will be the heartbeat of our nation’s economy. It’s our best chance to build prosperity and a positive future for our people.”
Like other nations that support resource development, the Nisga’a plan to protect the environment.
“We have worked very hard to ensure our project is capable of achieving net-zero performance. We put forward an ambitious action plan for producing net-zero LNG right here at home to help lower global emissions by potentially displacing coal and oil overseas. . . . economic reconciliation and net-zero LNG development go hand in hand.”
There’s more: The Woodfibre LNG project now under construction has the Squamish Nation as regulator. And Fortis BC has agreements with the Musqueam Indian Band on two LNG projects, including a potential equity share.
Know this, too: Indigenous people in Canada make almost three times more working in the oil and gas extraction sector than the average Indigenous worker ($140,400 vs $51,120 average employment income) and almost twice as much working in mining ($93,600). Forestry also paid higher than average ($56,100).
And Indigenous women in particular benefit economically from working in the sector.
(Here’s a reminder about how the standard of living for First Nations in Canada compares with that of the general population: In 2021, Canada and its standard of living ranked sixth in the world according to the UN Human Development Index. But apply that index and its measurements to Canada’s Indigenous people, and they ranked not sixth but 63rd.)
And so, candidates all, if you hear of people saying they are opposing LNG because of Indigenous concerns, advise them to talk to the First Nations that see LNG as their pathway to economic independence.
(Posted here 02 October 2024)