Indigenous group wants to purchase the Trans Mountain pipeline
Posted Jan 15, 2019 7:24 am.
Last Updated Jan 15, 2019 10:09 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
CALGARY (660 NEWS) – A large group of pro-energy indigenous nations believes it has a solution to getting the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion done, sell the pipeline to them.
The Indigenous Energy Summit is being held at the Grey Eagle Resort and Casino Wednesday and Thursday, and one of the main topics will be finding a way to buy at least part of the pipeline currently owned by the Canadian government.
In a message to attendees, Stephen Buffalo, the president of the Indian Resource Council-Canada says it represents over 130 first nation groups with energy assets on their lands and they can best represent indigenous views on a way forward for the project.
He says not all indigenous people believe the message “professional environmentalists” are sharing about pipeline development and that owning at least part of the project would give an even stronger indigenous voice when it comes to oil and gas development.
He closes the statement by saying he hopes this conference will offer a realistic road map and strategy that will benefit all of us.
The line was purchased by the federal government last May for $4.5 billion after Kinder Morgan was unable to expand the line due to political and environmental opposition.
